Oklahoma AG invests in gambling negotiations

The Attorney General of Oklahoma has hired outside attorneys to represent the state in gambling negotiations with a local tribe.

US.- Mike Hunter, Attorney General of Oklahoma, has hired a Michigan law firm to help represent the state in a gambling case against Native American tribes. The attorney general argues that the Oklahoman-based tribes should be sending more money to the state.

The Attorney General’s office signed last week an agreement with the law firm Dykema Gossett for US$250k to represent them. The native leaders have said that they’re open to negotiating some of the terms. However, they said they disagree that the existing compacts renew on January 1, 2020.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said earlier this year that they should renegotiate the deals. He also said that he thinks the state should get a larger share of gambling revenue from the tribes.

Alex Gerszewski, spokesman for Hunter, said that hiring outside attorneys was necessary because they had experience in tribal negotiations, Daily Mail reported. “When dealing with issues as complex as compact negotiations, it is important to have experts with experience in this area. Dykema has a proven record of success in tribal compact and gaming negotiations. We believe with their help, we can achieve a successful outcome for both the state and our tribal partners.”