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FEBRUARY 28, 2001

In an editorial today, The New London Day says the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation doesn't need to add any more land to its southeastern Connecticut reservation because they are financially successful.

Although the paper doesn't admit it, such an argument was rejected by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals last fall when it upheld the Department of Interior's decision to take 165 acres of land into trust for the tribe. The state of Connecticut and three towns had sought to prevent the trust land acquisition but the court said the tribe's recent financial windfall has no bearing on their argument.

Unsatisfied, the state and the towns have appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.

But even if the Supreme Court declines to hear their appeal, the paper says the state and the towns could return to court and try to prevent the tribe from adding to its reservation. The paper doesn't specify if such a manuever would apply to the 165-acre dispute or future fee-into-trust applications.

The paper also loosely implies the tribe doesn't have a "right" to expand its reservation. The paper doesn't say the 2nd Circuit ruled that nothing prevents the tribe from asking the Interior to enlarge its reservation since all federally recognized tribes can do so.

Get the Story:
EDITORIAL: Trade land for peace? (The New London Day 2/28)

Related Stories:
LETTER: Towns, paper living in La-La Land (The Talking Circle 2/27)
Town: We're Right, You Aren't (The Talking Circle 2/26)
It's the sovereignty, stupid (The Talking Circle 2/26)
EDITORIAL: Spread the wealth (The Talking Circle 2/26)
EDITORIAL: Let's end tribal fight (The Talking Circle 2/23)
EDITORIAL: Exaggeration fuels tribal debate (The Talking Circle 2/14)
EDITORIAL: Its everyone else's fault (The Talking Circle 2/13)