ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – A federal judge is refusing to block the federal government from negotiating and possibly approving a new gambling compact for a Native American pueblo over the objections of New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration.
Senior U.S. District Judge James A. Parker on Thursday denied the state’s request for an injunction to block the proposed federal compact for the Pojoaque Pueblo.
However, Parker says he’ll expedite consideration of the state’s lawsuit challenging the federal government’s authority to award a compact.
According to the Albuquerque Journal (http://bit.ly/1wil0ku ), the state objects to the pueblo’s proposed compact, which could stop tribal revenue-sharing payments to the state, allow serving of alcohol in gambling areas and lower the gambling age in the tribe’s casinos to 18 from 21.
The pueblo operates a casino near Santa Fe.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
