Trump Sues Over Indian Casino Permits

NEWARK, N.J. —  Donald Trump is suing Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and the chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission, claiming Indian tribes are given preferential treatment in the granting of casino licenses.

The civil lawsuit argues that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 also mandates states to authorize Indian gambling operations, stripping the states of their “sovereign, constitutional powers to tax, regulate and police gambling activities conducted within their borders.”

John Barry, an attorney for Trump, said Monday that the lawsuit is not seeking to ban Indian gambling, but rather asks that states be granted the power to accept or reject Indian gambling operations within their borders.

The casino owner-developer, his New York-based organization and his three Atlantic City casinos are listed as plaintiffs.