From The Washington Post:
The nation’s top Indian affairs official has recused himself from the highest-profile issues related to his job — tribal recognition, casino gambling and related land disputes — just four months after being confirmed by the Senate.
*****“A recusal of this kind goes to core responsibilities of his office and is very problematic legally and ethically,” [Connecticut Attorney General Richard] Blumenthal said. “This bypasses congressional oversight and scrutiny. . . . Aurene Martin isn’t confirmed by anybody. She’s not accountable in the same way.”
Widely known as “Famous Dave,” after the name of his restaurants, Anderson, a member of the Chippewa and Choctaw tribes, enjoyed the support of Native Americans.
Anderson’s office controls the bureau’s 10,000 employees, who administer almost 60 million acres of land held in trust for Indians and Alaska Natives, provide for health and human services, and run other programs for about 1.5 million Indians.
With the advent of Indian gambling, the BIA’s mission has become more complicated and the agency has come under increasing pressure to recognize — and not recognize — tribes. There are nearly 200 casino-owning tribes, which generate about $10 billion in annual revenue.