South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s lawsuit against the federal government over denial of permits for a 4th of July fireworks display she wants to put on at Mount Rushmore has reignited legal tensions with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
The tribe filed a motion last week to join the lawsuit on the side of the federal government, a move Noem opposes.
The Republican governor sued the Dept of Interior last month after the National Park Service denied the state’s application for fireworks, citing safety concerns and objections from local Native American tribes.