Tulalip brothers file lawsuit over BIA's handling of allotment

Monday, February 13, 2012  

Two members of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington are suing the Bureau of Indian Affairs to overturn the sale of their allotment.

John T. Campbell and his brother Walt Campbell say the tribe and the BIA colluded to devalue the 56-acre allotment. They filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the agency nearly a year ago but they haven't received any assistance.

"I'm a veteran. I'm a senior," Walt Campbell, 67, told the Associated Press. "They're supposed to put us on a pedestal. I feel uncomfortable doing this. But something has to be done. We got railroaded on this land."

The brothers believe their allotment is worth $10 million due to its proximity to the tribe's casino and a major tribal commercial site. But the tribe only paid $5.5 million and the Campbells want to find out what the BIA said in an appraisal.

According to the AP, the tribe is wiling to pay another $4.4 million for the land. The brothers, along with some of the other unrestricted owners, say their property isn't for sale.

Turtle Talk posted the complaint in the case, Campbell v. Interior.

Get the Story:
Family, Tulalip tribe feuding over lucrative land (AP 2/13)