Federal government defends Oregon tribe’s casino approval

The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Coquille Indian Tribe are opposing an emergency motion by three tribes seeking to block a new gaming facility in Medford, Oregon. The DOI approved the Coquille tribe’s application in January, but the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, the Karuk Tribe, and the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation argue the decision violated federal law. A D.C. judge declined to halt the project. The case is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.