“This decision vindicates the actions of the Quapaw Tribe with respect to the failed gaming compact negotiations. We obtained the opinion from the National Indian Gaming Commission because our tribe desired to be in full compliance with the law, and also because Governor Brownback made it a condition of the gaming compact negotiations. Governor Brownback lead us to believe that he would honor the NIGC’s decision, and would agree to a compact if the NIGC determined we could conduct gaming lawfully on our Kansas land, which it did.

“Not only did Governor Brownback not engage in good-faith negotiations, as he promised, but he and Attorney General Derek Schmidt deliberately targeted and harassed a number of our tribal leaders by suing them. Most of these people had no connection or involvement with tribal gaming. The suit appears to have been nothing but an attempt to discourage the Tribe from pursuing its rights under federal law.

“This case should cause people in Kansas to ask a lot of questions, especially about Governor Brownback’s treatment of Indians and use of taxpayers’ money.”