With the civil case over the Cayuga Nation's LakeSide Entertainment bingo hall in Union Springs scheduled to begin June 27, lawyers representing the nation's federal representative, Clint Halftown, filed motions last week requesting to be substituted to represent the tribe in the case instead of the law firm that has long represented the nation.
The Syracuse-based Green and Seifter law firm is requesting to be substituted for the Sonnenschein, Nath and Rosenthal, LLP, law firm.
New York City-based members of the Sonnenschein firm have represented the nation since 1998, and represented two Cayuga Nation council members, Gary Wheeler and Timothy Twoguns, in a Feb. 11 civil suit asking that Halftown be disqualified as the tribes' federal representative.
A telephone conference on the Green and Seifter's motion to "substitute attorney and disqualify" the Sonnenschein firm will be held today in front of U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd at 2:30 p.m.
Halftown's lawyers are asking Hurd to expedite a decision on their motion over which attorneys represent the nation in the Union Springs matter because the nation must file their briefs in the bingo hall case June 21 and prepare for legal arguments June 27. They are also asking that arguments in the Union Springs case remain, pending a decision on their motion.
The Union Springs case is back in Hurd's courtroom because the U.S. 2nd Circuit of Appeals said the case should be reconsidered following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the city of Sherrill v. the Oneida Indian Nation case.
In April 2004, Hurd ruled for the Cayugas' sovereignty over their land in Union Springs, allowing the bingo hall to open at the end of May. The arguments will determine if the injunction Hurd issued to prevent regulatory control over the bingo hall parcel should be overturned.
Martin Gold, of the Sonnenschein firm, wrote in a Friday, May 20, letter to Hurd that the Cayuga Nation council never terminated his firm, and that despite Halftown's position as the federal representative, "Mr. Halftown never had the unilateral authority to terminate or appoint attorneys, in this or any other matter."
Gold could not be reached for further comment Wednesday evening.
Halftown signed a now-defunct proposed land claim settlement Nov. 14, but said Dec. 31 that the nation was withdrawing from both its casino development deal with Empire Resorts and the settlement with the state because of the involvement of out-of-state tribes.
In the beginning of January, however, Wheeler said the nation would honor both the settlement and casino agreements, which has led to several months of leadership struggles within the Cayuga Nation, including an election organized by Twoguns and Wheeler to appoint a provisional governing council in early May.
Other members of the tribe disputed the validity of the election, which returned with a majority vote to change the Cayugas' leadership structure.
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
New York City-based members of the Sonnenschein firm have represented the nation since 1998, and represented two Cayuga Nation council members, Gary Wheeler and Timothy Twoguns, in a Feb. 11 civil suit asking that Halftown be disqualified as the tribes' federal representative.
A telephone conference on the Green and Seifter's motion to "substitute attorney and disqualify" the Sonnenschein firm will be held today in front of U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd at 2:30 p.m.
Halftown's lawyers are asking Hurd to expedite a decision on their motion over which attorneys represent the nation in the Union Springs matter because the nation must file their briefs in the bingo hall case June 21 and prepare for legal arguments June 27. They are also asking that arguments in the Union Springs case remain, pending a decision on their motion.
The Union Springs case is back in Hurd's courtroom because the U.S. 2nd Circuit of Appeals said the case should be reconsidered following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the city of Sherrill v. the Oneida Indian Nation case.
In April 2004, Hurd ruled for the Cayugas' sovereignty over their land in Union Springs, allowing the bingo hall to open at the end of May. The arguments will determine if the injunction Hurd issued to prevent regulatory control over the bingo hall parcel should be overturned.
Martin Gold, of the Sonnenschein firm, wrote in a Friday, May 20, letter to Hurd that the Cayuga Nation council never terminated his firm, and that despite Halftown's position as the federal representative, "Mr. Halftown never had the unilateral authority to terminate or appoint attorneys, in this or any other matter."
Gold could not be reached for further comment Wednesday evening.
Halftown signed a now-defunct proposed land claim settlement Nov. 14, but said Dec. 31 that the nation was withdrawing from both its casino development deal with Empire Resorts and the settlement with the state because of the involvement of out-of-state tribes.
In the beginning of January, however, Wheeler said the nation would honor both the settlement and casino agreements, which has led to several months of leadership struggles within the Cayuga Nation, including an election organized by Twoguns and Wheeler to appoint a provisional governing council in early May.
Other members of the tribe disputed the validity of the election, which returned with a majority vote to change the Cayugas' leadership structure.
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
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