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APRIL 6, 2001

In an editorial today, The New London Day said a recent order by a federal judge regarding the recognition petitions of two Pequot Tribes in Connecticut was reasonable and right.

The paper says US District Judge Alfred V. Covello requiring the Department of Interior to provide documents to the state by next month was necessary since the state and three towns have been asking for them for quite some time. The paper also says the towns need to hand over their documents to the tribes.

The paper passes no judgment on Covello's order to allow the Eastern Pequot Tribe and the Paucatuck Eastern Pequot Tribe to participate in the case as intervenors.

While the paper criticizes the Interior for failing to provide information in a timely manner, the paper passes no judgment on the fact that the state could, and probably will, appeal a positive final determination when it is scheduled to be released in December. Such an appeal would drag out the case further but the paper doesn't appear sensitive to the tribes' being affected by a delay.

The paper does say the towns will be affected by the tribes' recognition.

The paper also says "some" tribes were "substantial contributors to the Clinton administration." The paper does not identify these alleged contributors, how much they allegedly contributed to the "administration," nor names of the alleged members of the administration to whom they may have contributed.

Get the Story:
EDITORIAL: A sensible ruling in federal court (The New London Day 4/6)

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Judge to watch recognition process (4/2)