Judge Denies Schaghticoke Request for Contempt Ruling Against Blumenthal

A federal judge has denied the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation’s request for a ruling of contempt and sanctions against Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Blumenthal announced in a press release July 27.

U.S. District Court Judge Peter Dorsey also denied STN’s request to interview a former key Interior Department official under oath and to seek more materials in its appeal of the BIA’s decision to rescind the tribe’s federal acknowledgement, Blumenthal said.

The tribal nation received federal acknowledgement in 2004, but it was repealed in 2005 after a coordinated barrage of opposition by the state, other elected officials, a citizens’ anti-Indian group and its powerful White House connected lobbyist, Barbour, Griffith and Rogers. The tribe’s ongoing appeal was filed in January 2006.

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