William Bryan: “The Governors have repeatedly called the Secretary's proposal an inappropriate expansion of his authorities. Governors…”

“The Governors have repeatedly called the Secretary's proposal an inappropriate expansion of his authorities. Governors of the State in the process of negotiating a gaming compact with tribes will be severely disadvantaged by this proposal. Tribes will be much better off letting the Secretary of the Interior decide their fate-- believing they can get a better deal from a person who is an acknowledged advocate for their interests and indeed encourages gaming as a means of generating tribal revenues. The Department asserts the States must be acting in bad faith for the Secretary to strip the States of their rights. Of course, the Secretary is the judge and jury over whether the States, in fact, are negotiating in bad faith. To make matters even worse and to heighten the concerns the Governors have, the Department has informed us that they would consider the actions of Governor Wilson of California to be negotiating in bad faith because he refuses to negotiate with any tribe that persists in operating illegal games on tribal reservations. As Governor Wilson has indicated, he has a simple rule: If it is legal under State law, all can do it; if it is not legal under State law, no one can do it. The Governor wants the tribes to cease and desist illegal gaming activities before he will negotiate a compact or legal game, and the Interior Department would consider that bad faith.”