BIA turns petition dispute over the the MCT/TEC
(letter below)
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Minnesota Agency
Rt 3 Box 112
Cass Lake, MN 56633-8913
Norman Deschampe, President
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
PO Box 217
Cass Lake,MN 56633
Dear President Deschampe,
On January 6, 1997 I received a copy of Leech Lake Reservation Trible
Council ("Council") Resolution 97-69, which has dismissed the petition for
removal or recall eledtion of District III Representative Myron Ellis and
cancelled the hearing scheduled by the council to address the charges.
Originally, Resolution No. 97-69 was passed by the council on September 25,
1996 which set a hearing date of Monday, December 2, 1996 to address
charges brought agaist Mr. Ellis in the petition. Resolution No. 97-51,
passed on December 3, 1996, postponed the hearing until January 7, 1997 in
order to provide additional time to review the charges.
On January 7, 1997 I was presented with a cover letter and a copy
of the petition from Diane E. White, spokesperson for the petitioners,
which demands a recall election or removal of Mr. Ellis from office.
The letter cites Article X, Section 5 of the MCT Constitution and
has appealed this to the Secretary of Interior claiming that the
Reservation Business Committee failed to act. Additionally, the
petitioners claim that Resolution No. 97-69 is unconsitutional an invalid
since the petiton has met the requirements of Article X and the
Constitution does not allow for cancellation of a hearing which has been
set.
In reviewing all of the documents above, I believe this is a valid
concern, I believe this is a valid concern. However, since this is is
directly related to Constitutional interpretation, it must be addressed and
clarified by the Tribal Executive Committee (TEC), not the Bureau of Indian
Affairs. Upon receipt of a response from the TEC, the Bureau of Indian
Affairs will consider taking the appropriate action.
Your timely resonse will be appriciated.
(signed)
Joel Smith
SUPERINTENDENT
CC
Leech Lake Tribal Council
Diane E. White, spokesperson
Larry Morrin, Acting Area Director
Office of the Field Solicitor
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Shortly before Christmas the home of the person tending the people's
petitions (for recall election or removal of Leech Lake RBC District
Representative Alfred Fairbanks, Jr.) burned to the ground.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Runoff election for Leech Lake Secretary/Treasurer will be held Tuesday
Janary 28. Candidates are Frank "Walter" Reese and Linda Johnston. Both
candidates support constitutional reform.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Runoff election for White Earth will be held in March. Runoff candidates are:
For Secretary/Tresurer are Erma J. Vizenor and Albert James Goodwin, Jr.
For District I Representative Irene Auginash-Turney and Marcell L. Goodwin.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
White Earth Activist speaks out about absentee voting system:
(Bemidji Resident Lori (Queenie) Stone-Gellings was one of dozens of
witnesses who testified in last year's trial of former White Earth
officials that they names were forged on fraudulent ballots in the 1194
election.)
"All those absentee ballots have hurt people on the reservation. If you
want the right to vote on your reservation, go up to vote on your
reservation! Absentee voting grants undue influence to those who are least
affected by reservation policies."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>> ------------------------------------->
Bernard J. Rock, Sr.
Leech Lake Pillager Band
Spotted Eagle Warrior Society
North Central Minnesota Native American
Veterans Outreach and Resource Center
"Vets helping Vets"