WASHINGTON — American Indian tribes face “a direct threat to their sovereignty” if they don’t stand up to the power of the Oklahoma state government trying to manipulate its gaming compacts with the tribes, an official of the nation’s largest Native American group said Monday.
Fawn Sharp, president of the National Congress of American Indians, warned of an “annihilation” of the tribal sovereignty as she spoke following the 18th annual State of Indian Nations address hosted by George Washington University in Washington D.C.
“The National Congress of American Indians, our delegates and members, we stand with those tribes that are facing a direct threat and annihilation to their sovereignty through this compact dispute,” said Sharp.
The debate boils down to whether or not the model gaming compacts agreed to by gaming tribes and the state of Oklahoma expired on Jan. 1 or if they automatically renewed for an additional 15 year term.
The Choctaw, Cherokee and Chickasaw Nations, later joined by the Muscogee (Creek) and Citizen Potawatomi tribes, filed a lawsuit in federal district court on Dec. 31 against Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to resolve the issue and keep gaming at status quo in the meantime.
In response Gov. Stitt denied the allegations and insisted the compacts expired in the new year. Both sides have echoed that they were willing to negotiate before the deadline, but now the issue has turned from the state trying to negotiate for higher exclusivity fees paid annually by the tribes to an issue of tribal sovereignty.
“When the tribal nations succeed in putting the state of Oklahoma in its place, we will be standing right there with them,” said Sharp on the NCAI’s position on the compact dispute.
Gov. Stitt’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
“This nothing new to Indian County, right? When the other side wants to breach their duty and responsibility in a contractual agreement. This is nothing new to the tribes in Oklahoma, and they’re handling this just right,” said chief executive officer of the NCAI, Kevin Allis.
Currently casinos are operating as usual, despite threats from Gov. Stitt to have them shut down or to allow for non tribal gaming entities to come into Oklahoma.
On Monday, Federal District Court Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti called for mediation between the two parties with quick upcoming deadlines. Both sides are to suggest three mediators by Feb. 14, with any additional tribes wanting to join the suit doing so by the same deadline, and the mediation itself to be “completed or substantially completed not later than March, 31 2020,” wrote the judge.
