Just one-day after the Cayuga Nation announced to seek a legal suit in the amount of $600,000 against the alleged “illegal occupants” of 14 Cayuga Nation-owned properties, FingerLakes1.com has filed two Freedom of Information Act requests at the federal level.
Yesterday, two requests were submitted to the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs Eastern regional office, which oversees the Cayuga Nation of New York.
The first request aims at acquiring copies of any and all public records relating to the Nation’s court including legal manuals, court records, media briefings, webpages, emails and other forms of communication and correspondences.
It places an additional emphasis on court documents, specifically orders, filings, rulings and verdicts.
The second request, seeks to obtain public records from the Cayuga Nation Police department: staff rosters, annual police reports and arrest logs following the violent conflict that occurred almost a year ago after a press conference concluded along State Route 89 on Saturday, Feb. 29.
Several properties along State Route 89 in Seneca Falls were demolished overnight on Saturday, Feb. 22. Photo Credit: Gabriel Pietrorazio, FingerLakes1.com.
Gabe covered health and indigenous affairs in the Finger Lakes between 2019 and 2022. His award winning coverage was cited by the federal government and provided residents with an invaluable service during the coronavirus pandemic.