By By ARTHUR MCCLEAN Boone News Service
One week after Alabama Attorney General Troy King announced the results of his statewide gambling probe, two more groups have stepped into the fray.
In a statement made last week in Montgomery, King said he had no jurisdiction over the gaming operations on Poarch Creek reservations in Atmore or Wetumpka. At that time, King said he had no further comment on the matter.
This week, seemingly conflicting statements were issued by the U.S. Attorney's office of the southern district, and the Alabama Policy Institute, a conservative think-tank.
In an editorial piece submitted to newspapers statewide, the Alabama Policy Institute's Gary Palmer claimed that King was working with federal officials to stamp out Indian gaming.
Chris Bence, a spokesman for the Attorney General's office in Montgomery said Palmer was drawing his own conclusions.
The United States Attorney's office in Mobile issued a lengthy statement that appeared to contradict Palmer's claim.
The statement goes on to list that some 76 gaming machines were removed from Indian facilities and another 600 were reprogrammed or reconfigured to meet the legal requirements of federal law.