Congress hearts Massachusetts tribe; Who let the dogs out?

Against all odds, a bill to clear away legal challenges to the Mashpee Wampanoags and their Project First Light is set to be heard in the U.S. House of Representatives. A star-studded hearing has been set up by Rep. William Keating (D), who will call tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke as witnesses. Keating’s move comes on the heels of a pro-Wampanoag bill introduced in the Senate by newborn casino supporter Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D). A federal court remanded the Mashpee Wamps’ land-into-trust agreement back to Interior during the Barack Obama administration, a headache that Zinke has inherited. However, Cromwell says he has seen “amazing bipartisan support” in Congress and “We’ve got dozens of tribal nations who have come out in support of this bill.” No wonder, if you can get Congress to intervene whenever your land-into-trust application gets impeded.

According to the Cape Cod Times, “Cromwell urged Congress to exercise its authority to prevent the ‘disestablishment of our reservation,’ which he says would be the first instance of the U.S Government severing its trust relationship with a tribe since the Termination Era, a period from the 1940s to the 1960s where Congress pushed to end tribal independence by removing federal protections.” One wrinkle is that the town of Mashpee is also representing Rush Street Gaming, which is itching to revive its defunct project in Brockton. Rush Street boss (and heavy Democratic Party donor) Neil Bluhm has bankrolled litigation against the Wampanoag tribe. However, Bluhm’s left-of-center ‘juice’ appears to be doing him no good on Capitol Hill.

* Macao‘s Canidrome is famous — or notorious — as the last greyhound-racing venue in Asia. However, we are happy to report that it is closing up shop, a move that will hearten animal-rights supporters everywhere. The Canidrome will try to find private placement for 533 suddenly homeless dogs. While we don’t want to downplay the good work of pro-animal activists, we have to wonder how much the expansion of casinos (and amenities) in Macao has to do with the Canidrome going to the dogs, as it were.