Law
BIA accused of conflict for staying at Oneida hotel


Some local officials in upstate New York are questioning the Bureau of Indian Affairs after officials stayed at the Oneida Nation's hotel for a recent hearing into the tribe's land-into-trust request.

The Syracuse Post-Standard said BIA officials stayed two nights and ate at one of the tribe's restaurants. But the agency paid its way, said a spokesperson.

"We pay for our services there; we got nothing free," spokesperson Nedra Darling told the paper. "We don't see it as a conflict. It wouldn't influence our decision."

The BIA is considering the tribe's request to have more than 17,000 acres in two counties placed in trust. The application was filed after the U.S. Supreme Court last March said the tribe couldn't assert sovereignty on its properties without going through the land-into-trust process.

Local officials and state politicians are opposing the request.

Get the Story:
BIA accused of conflict (The Syracuse Post-Standard 3/10)

Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation, New York - http://www.oneida-nation.net

Sherrill v. Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

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