Editorial: EchoHawk nomination and Indian gaming

Friday, February 20, 2009  

"The big discussion in the tiny Grant Parish village of Creola centers on a question only the president of the United States can answer: Will the president appoint Larry EchoHawk to be head of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs?

The answer has everything to do with whether Creola will see renewed attention on a tribal bid to bring casino-style gambling to the village, which was incorporated in October 2000 on land owned by a single person.

In EchoHawk, many tribal leaders see a supporter of expanded Indian gambling. That was not always the case. When EchoHawk was attorney general of Idaho from 1991 through 1995, he led the effort to bypass federal laws requiring states to negotiate with tribes seeking casino-level gambling licenses for use on tribal land.

Since then, EchoHawk, a law professor, has changed his mind. As Indian Country Today reported, some of his staunchest critics have seen a "180-degree turnaround on his position regarding Indian gaming."

That bodes well for the Jena Band of Choctaw and others who want to gamble in Creola, 15 miles north of Alexandria."

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Our view: Appointment will nudge Creola's odds (The Alexandria Town Talk 2/19)