Six liquor companies, distributors and stores are seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

The companies supply liquor to four stores in Whiteclay, Nebraska, just across the border from the Pine Ridge Reservation, where alcohol is outlawed. The tribe blames the companies for health, law enforcement and other problems.

"The absurdity of this request cannot be understated," one liquor store said in reply to the tribe's lawsuit. "Plaintiff is seeking an order from this court that would actually command the retail defendants to refuse the sale of their otherwise publicly available goods to members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who live on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation solely based on their race and ethnicity."

Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Oglala Sioux Tribe v. Schwarting.

Get the Story:
Beer companies seek dismissal of reservation suit (AP 4/30)

Related Stories:
BBC News: Oglala Sioux Tribe goes to bat with liquor industry (4/27)
Alcohol industry spends big despite Whiteclay problems (4/12)
Kevin Abourezk: Oglala Sioux Tribe amends Whiteclay lawsuit (4/4)
SDPR: Oglala Sioux Tribe sues over liquor sales in Whiteclay (4/2)
Five from Pine Ridge Reservation face bootlegging charges (03/16)
Liquor from Whiteclay invades every aspect of reservation life (3/6)
Letter: Oglala Sioux Tribe should consider a 'wet' reservation (3/5)
Stephanie Woodard: Whiteclay Liquor -- Gold mines in hell (2/22)
Letter: Alcohol sales at Whiteclay nothing short of 'genocide' (2/16)
Lawmakers consider alcohol zone bill amid Whiteclay lawsuit (2/14)
Kevin Abourezk: Legal doubts in Oglala Sioux Whiteclay suit (2/13)
Kevin Abourezk: Oglala Sioux Tribe in $500M Whiteclay case (2/10)
Oglala Sioux Tribe files lawsuit targeting liquor in Whiteclay (2/9)