The partnership of two tribes in Connecticut urged the federal government Tuesday to issue a final ruling on whether it can continue with plans to build a third casino in Connecticut.
Despite earlier signals that the Bureau of Indian Affairs would approve alterations to the tribes’ revenue sharing compact with the state, the BIA this week missed a deadline to give its formal assent to the changes.
Now the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes are left in limbo over permission to break ground on a joint project in East Windsor.
The tribes contend that by failing to comment, the BIA has in effect given its assent, but Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has warned against proceeding in the absence of an affirmative federal ruling.
He's worried that without definitive word from the BIA, the millions of dollars that flow to the general fund from the state's two existing casinos might be in jeopardy.
Anti-Trust Probe Widened
Connecticut has widened the multi-state probe that it’s leading into anti-trust issues in the generic drug industry.
The attorney general’s office, previously investigating six drug companies and two drugs, said it will now add 12 other pharmaceutical companies to its list of defendants, and investigate the pricing of 13 more drugs.
The suit contends that the companies colluded to fix prices and reduce competition in the important market for generic medicines.
New States File Suit Against Stamford Drug Firm
New Jersey and Alaska have joined at least seven other states in suing Purdue Pharma, the maker of controversial opioid medicine, Oxycontin.
The latest suits, filed this week, allege the Stamford-based drug company should be held accountable for the devastating effects of the opioid addiction crisis, because of aggressive marketing of the pain medicine.
Purdue Pharma denies the allegations and says it will present a defense to the suits.
