President Trump fires at Massachusetts tribe
The POTUS has urged House Republicans to vote against a bill that would end a legal challenge to a Massachusetts tribe over a casino.
US.- The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe’s reservation has received a major blow from President Donald Trump. The 45th POTUS urged House Republicans to vote against a bill that would end a legal challenge to the Massachusetts tribe.
“Republicans shouldn’t vote for H.R. 312, a special interest casino Bill, backed by Elizabeth (Pocahontas) Warren. It is unfair and doesn’t treat Native Americans equally!” Trump tweeted.
However, Democratic leaders put the bill on a fast track for passage, but it requires a two-thirds majority for it to clear the chamber. It would end a legal challenge and rule the Massachusetts tribe owns a contested land, barring future lawsuits over it.
The push for a casino
Mashpee Wampanoag leaders have been waiting for years to host a casino in Taunton, and with the prospect of a new Congress, they’re hoping that their proposed legislation – that aims at keeping tribal land in trust – could help them achieve their goals.
Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell said in a written statement this week that they are extremely grateful that a bipartisan group of Congressional representatives “understands the injustice of taking sovereign land away from the first Americans and have moved swiftly to ensure this nation does not return to the dark days of removing indigenous people from their land.”
The legislation, which aims to end the ongoing legal challenge to the tribe’s reservation, was introduced in Congress by representatives William Keating and Joe Kennedy. Taunton Gazette explained that having land into trust is important as it is a requisite for building a tribal casino, as it is exempt from a number of fees and taxes for being located on sovereign land.
