Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D), a noted critic of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and of federal Indian policy, could launch a campaign for the U.S. Senate in the wake of the retirement of Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut), according to news reports.

Blumenthal has fought the BIA on federal recognition and land-into-trust issues. His efforts led to the reversal of federal recognition for the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation.

More recently, Blumenthal testified against legislation to fix the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar. He wants Congress to overhaul the land-into-trust process before addressing the ruling.

Closer to home, Blumenthal has fought tribes in Connecticut on taxation, gaming, jurisdiction and land claims.

Dodd has been generally supportive of the two federally recognized tribes in Connecticut. He was briefly linked to the Jack Abramoff scandal and quickly sought to distance himself from the Tigua Tribe of Texas, whom he inaccurately described at the time as a non-recognized tribe.

Along with Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota), Dodd is the second Democrat to announce plans to retire from the Senate.

Get the Story:
Conn. Sen. Dodd expected to announce retirement (The Washington Post 1/6)
Senator Dodd Will Not Seek Re-election, Democrats Say (The New York Times 1/6)

Related Stories:
Indian Affairs Committee passes land-into-trust fix (12/18)