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FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2003

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts is suspecting local opponents are behind the Bush administration's appeal of the tribe's federal recognition case.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ordered the Bureau of Indian Affairs to finalize a decision on the tribe's status by December 2002. But the Department of Justice appealed, delaying resolution of the long-running petition.

The tribe believes contacts between town officials, their law firm and the Department of Justice indicates that the appeal was influenced by local opponents. A tribal lawyer says the government hasn't responded to the tribe's Freedom of Information Act requests.

Get the Story:
Feds ignore tribe's action (The Cape Cod Times 7/11)

Related Stories:
Appeals court to hear Mashpee recognition case (03/18)
BIA delaying decision on Mass. tribe (12/20)
Mass. town accused of hindering recognition (10/30)
Jump in recognition petitions noted (06/12)
BIA recognition staff fails pressure test (05/31)
Wampanoag leader remembered (03/08)