Thursday, December 29, 2016

Bureau of Indian Affairs Secretary Roberts LOWERS BOOM on Unrecognized NOOKSACK COUNCIL

Thank you Mr. Secretary.   This is a GOOD start.  DO NOT STOP  here, let's get after those tribes that have stripped Native Americans of their citizenship, including many like Pechanga, which acted OUTSIDE their own constitution.

SOME QUOTES:

"We do not view ...the general election scheduled for January 17 as legitimate and will not accept the results"      READ the letter below

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Tale to THREE Banishments: Seneca Nation For Cause Pechanga Tribe....Not so Much

Take a look at this story, where a tribal nation  BANISHED six people for being drug dealers. These are not tribal people, but those who bring danger to the Seneca community
Six people suspected of dealing drugs on Seneca Nation land have been banished from all Seneca territory, a spokesman for the Seneca Nation said Monday.
The Seneca Nation Council voted to take the rare step of banishing the individuals following an afternoon traffic stop on Cattaraugus Territory on Dec. 20 that resulted in the drug-related arrests of four men and women.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

UPDATE: STANDOFF ENDS IMPEACHED Narragansett Chief THOMAS REFUSES to Vacate Position; Tribal offices OCCUPIED

UPDATE:   A group of Narragansett Indians ended a weeklong occupation of a tribal government building with a promise to resolve their disagreements with supporters of the tribe's longtime leader.

The occupiers left the building and handed over its keys to a mediator at about 11:30 p.m. Monday. The breakthrough came after days of mediation that included telephone calls and face-to-face meetings on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

"We accomplished what we set out to do and it was time to go," said one of the occupiers, Councilwoman Chastity Machado, who spent six nights sleeping inside the administration building.

The occupying group was led by tribal council members who were elected in July and who impeached Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas in October. Among their concerns is that he spends too much time in Florida, where he has a home.

ABC reports on Rhode Island Tribal dispute.  IMPEACHED Chief refuses vacate.  Sounds like the corrupt Nooksack tribe
Members of the Narragansett Indian tribe on Friday were in their 4th day of occupying their tribal government headquarters, because the chief they are trying to oust won't step down.
Some members of a recently elected Narragansett Tribal Council said they took over the administration building Tuesday because Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas refused to relinquish power after they impeached him in October. By late Friday, the occupation was headed toward another day.
Here's a guide to the latest developments and key background about the dispute:
CHIEF SACHEM

Saturday, December 24, 2016

No Holiday of Hope for Children of Pechanga Descendants at Christmas. 12 Years WITHOUT A TRIBE

Christmas 2016 marks the 12th Christmas without a tribe for many Pechanga descendants, including young children, well now, not so young...

Pechanga Flag Flown at
Standing Rock, Upside Down Under Distress


The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians recently brought disadvantaged children to the Casino to "spread cheer" yet, ignoring the children they ACTUALLY disadvantaged, by stripping their citizenship and heritage. In the case of two large families from Pechanga , the Manuela Miranda and the Paulina Hunter descendants, the tribal council, led by Mark Macarro, disadvantage over 100 children via disenrollment, even forcibly removing true Pechanga children from the tribal school.

Friday, December 23, 2016

Will Incoming Chair of Senate Indian Affairs Committee John Hoeven Protect ALL Native Rights?

INCOMING Chairman on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee John Hoeven:

We must all follow the rule of law for the safety of everyone and to protect everyone’s rights,” 




Incoming Chairman of
Senate Indian Affairs Committee
The statement above was in regards to #NoDaPL encampments, but shouldn't the same apply for the RIGHTS of Native Americans to Belong?  Our tribal rights, constitutional rights should apply and CONGRESS should fulfill their TRUST RESPONSIBILITY to all Natives, not just Chiefs and Councils!

Senator Cantwell didn't, Senator Barrasso didn't, the thought of Hoeven doing so, has be laughing, so I don't cry.  BUT I will continue to fight for my rights, my family's rights and YOUR RIGHTS.

Here's a letter than can be sent...again:


Thursday, December 22, 2016

San Pasqual Alto Descendants File Cert Request to Supreme Court for Justice Against the BIA's Incompetence

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is AGAIN the subject of a cert request to be heard before the Supreme Court.  The Alto Family was disenrolled from The San Pasqual Band.  THIS is NOT a disenrollment issue, but whether the BIA actions VIOLATED their rights.  It's an uphill battle, but attention needs to be drawn to issues of BIA incompetence, or their complicity in the abuse of Native Americans.

It doesn't sound sexy, but here is the question:
The questions presented are (1) whether the doctrine of res judicata and collateral estoppel precluded the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Interior in 2011 from revisiting his predecessor’s 1995 final and conclusive decision about petitioners’ status as Native Americans; and (2) whether the Assistant Secretary’s 2011 decision to declassify petitioners’Native American Indian status violated the Administrative Procedures Act.

Here's the Petition

NOOKSACK EVICTION of Margretty Rabang REBUFFED with Restraining Order from Whatcom County Court

Great news coming from the Nooksack Reservation.  Well not so great if you are a corrupt council member and one who shouldn't even have a seat.

Just in time for Christmas, the Whatcom County court has HALTED the eviction process of Margretty Rabang, who was caring for two young children. The Nooksack council, headed by Bob Kelly were working to steal her home and force them onto the street.  Another product of disenrollment

The court said:  NO, I don't THINK SO!

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

APPEALS COURTS DENIES CHUMASH Descendants.

As one group prepares to go to the Supreme Court against the BIA, the BIA is again subject to this suit from the Miranda family of Chumash who were denied enrollment.

You can find all the documents at Turtle Talk HERE

This interpretation is “reasonable” given “the language of the [Band’s] governing documents[] and the past practice of the [Band].” Aguayo, 827 F.3d at 1228. Article III does not define the term “Indian blood of the Band,” and although it refers to no documents other than the 1940 Census Roll, it neither expressly nor 4 impliedly prohibits the Band from considering such other documents when evaluating an enrollment application. Because the Band’s interpretation of Article III is “reasonable,” the Bureau did not abuse its discretion by deferring to it and sustaining the Band’s rejection of the Plaintiffs’ applications. Accordingly, the district court’s grant of summary judgment for the Defendants is AFFIRMED. 

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Amicus Curiae Brief to Support Writ of Certiorari in AGUAYO v. JEWELL to the US Supreme Court

Some Pala Tribal people, seeking JUSTICE are filing for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court against the Department of Interior in Aguayo V. Jewell.  Please support their effort by sharing this post on social media.

Here is an AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE TRIBAL JUSTICE CLINIC OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES LAW AND POLICY PROGRAM James Diamond  to highlight the existing fundamental trust obligation between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the members of the Pala Band of Mission Indians in regard to enrollment, and how, in this case, the troubling ruling below has allowed the historic trust obligation to be abrogated.


This passage of the brief highlights the BIA's FAILURE:

The Bureau of Indian Affair’s (“BIA”) failure to fulfill its trust responsibility to the Pala Band of Mission Indians to ensure that a Constitution was validly enacted was arbitrary and capricious and directly contributed to improper disenrollments. The BIA has a duty to ensure that the interests of all tribal members are protected and that governing documents adopted by the tribal government reflect the will of a majority of the tribe’s members. By recognizing and applying an improper tribal enrollment ordinance and an invalid constitution, the BIA abrogated its trust obligation to tribes. Moreover, the BIA’s failure to ensure that the tribe’s governing documents comported with legitimate ratification procedures constitutes a violation under the APA and undermines the importance of tribal membership.

VIEW the BRIEF HERE

MONEY QUOTE:

Cedarville Rancheria MURDERS: UPDATE GUILTY Death Penalty Case for Cherie Rhoades Underway for Alturas Killings

UPDATE:   GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS
Alturas mass murder suspect, Cherie Lash-Rhodes, was found guilty on all counts Monday in a Placer County courtroom.
According to the Modoc County Record, Lash-Rhodes was found guilty on four counts of first degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Sentencing has been scheduled for early January.
The Modoc County Record added the jury took about two hours to reach a decision.
Lash-Rhodes shot six people at the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office in Alturas, ultimately killing four on February 20, 2014.



The trial for Cherie Rhoades, the woman accused of killing four people and wounding two others in a 2014 mass shooting at the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office in Alturas began Monday in Placer County.

UPDATE:  Judge refuses to allow cameras in the courtroom.
UPDATE:  Word coming that the Prosecution has rested. Defense up.
Rhoades faces the death penalty.cherie
The attack happened on February 20, 2014, during an eviction hearing for Rhoades. Sources close to the investigation say that Rhoades shot the victims execution style, and that once she ran out of ammunition, she chased one of her nieces down the road with a butcher knife and stabbed her.

Friday, December 16, 2016

San Manuel Tribe's Dr. Deron Marquez on TRIBAL DISENROLLMENT: Injustice of Ex Post Facto Disenrollment at Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians

Former Chairman and scholar of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has a scholarship paper on disenrollment.
This excerpt discusses the INJUSTICE of Ex-Post facto stripping of citizenship, hidden behind the cute nickname:

Disenrollment 

Approximately 80 federally recognized tribes are practicing disenrollment. The Supreme Court’s Santa Clara ruling has sanctioned these actions, but why these acts are unfolding is still not truly understood. Gabriel Galanda speculates that gaming per capita could be a reason.

Dr. Deron Marquez


In a forthcoming publication, "Dismembered: Banishment, Disenrollment & Statelessness in Indian Country," Dr. Wilkins produces categorical findings on disenrollment, banishment, gaming and per capita payments. In California, according to the research, 23 tribes are engaged in disenrollment and 2 in banishment.

Of the 25 California tribes, 20 operate gaming facilities of which 17 disburse per capita checks. Given the high occurrences in California, there are two cases that exemplify disenrollment. Both include tribal governments that engage in gaming operations and both engage in per capita programs. Also, both are located in Southern California.

Jeffredo v. Macarro 

Thursday, December 15, 2016

What is the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division's Policy of the Abuses of Indian Civil Rights? Request an Answer

  Guest blogger  Reinstatement Resolution has crafted this letter.

HERE is a letter YOU can and SHOULD send to Attorney General  Loretta Lynch, or to the newest Attorney General candidate JEFF SESSIONS It's a request for a policy statement,  which could be as simple as "we won't defend the civil and human rights of Indian people harmed by their own Tribes." And may be far too likely.


To: US Department of Justice
    Attorney General Loretta Lynch
    950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    Washington , D.C. 20530-0001
    Email: askdoj@usdoj.gov
    Fax Number: 202-307-6777

From:  
         
Re: Request for Policy Statement


Dear Attorney General, 
I am writing this request on behalf of thousands of American Indians who have been removed from the Membership Rolls of Federally Recognized Tribes without due process and in violation of their right to equal protection under the law.

Many of the decisions to terminate tribal membership have been imposed by Tribal Leaders without the approval of the General Membership of the Tribe, in direct contradiction of the governing documents of their respective Tribes, and motivated by racial bias. This racial bias is compounded by the fact that some of these Tribal Leaders have no Indian ancestry themselves, and would not meet the same standards as these disenrolled Indians, who have endured discrimination and bias from American society, and now face bias and discrimination from within their own tribes.

Tribal Leaders act with impunity due to the protections of sovereign immunity. Many of these leaders claim that the Santa Clara Pueblos v. Martinez Supreme Court decision gives them the right to exclude legitimate tribal members and they have done so, causing egregious harm to the Native Americans who lose their tribal citizenship. This harm extends far beyond the loss of membership in a Federally Recognized Tribe. It means denial of eligibility for federal benefits to help finance education, medical treatment, and even emergency assistance to families in need. It means the loss of land rights, burial rights, and access to benefits provided by the tribe. It means a denial of heritage, and the legacy of their ancestors, and the connection to their culture.  

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

NOOKSACK Tribal Government NOT RECOGNIZED by Washington Court

This is GOOD NEWS.   The Nooksack Tribe and their buffoon of a Chairman, the adopted Indian Bob Kelly are informed that the Washington State Court REFUSES to recognize the tribe's actions as per BIA ruling
Nooksack protesters

The website Turtle Talk has the order here

THIS COURT THEREFORE FEELS COMPELLED TO RECOGNIZE THE LAST COURT ORDER BEARING ON THIS ISSUE THAT WOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS VALID BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, AND THAT ORDER IS THE ORDER OF THE NOOKSACK COURT OF APPEALS AT ISSUE HEREIN

I believe the term is BOOM!  All actions after March 24, 2016 are INVALID

Learn More on Disenrollment, Ethnic Cleansing in Indian Gaming Country at these Links:
Gaming Revenue Blamed for Disenrollment
Disenrollment is paper Genocide
Read the ICT article on NOOKSACK here
CA Tribal Cleansing
TRIBAL TERRORISM includes Banishment
Nooksack Disenrollment




Monday, December 12, 2016

Sen. Maria Cantwell Requested to Hold Field Hearings on NOOKSACK Tribe's Human Rights Abuses

Our friends from the Nooksack 306 are initiating a request for Washington's Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray to hold field hearings over the abuses of civil and human rights by the unrecognized Bob Kelly led council of the Nooksack Tribe.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell

Here is a sample of what they were asking:

I am calling to request ask the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to hold hearings on the growing number of civil rights abuses occurring at the reservation of the Nooksack Tribe.

The number of civil and human rights violations at Nooksack has reached epidemic proportions.  One third of the tribe have been stripped or denied the basic due process and equal protection rights provided for in the United States Constitution, the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 (“ICRA”), and tribal laws.  This is happening even though the current council is NOT recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
    Considering the current situation and an environment which rewards the villain and punishes the victim, I ask you, “How do you plan to address this problem?”


I believe that hearings on the current civil rights situation in Indian Country are not only warranted, they are long overdue.  Your Trust Responsibility is to ALL Native Americans, not just to corrupt Chairmen and their Councils.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

When A Wannabe Cherokee's Collaborator Gets...BUTTHURT

A comical exchange today on Facebook between my friend, Cherokee genealogist David Cornsilk and a young college journalist. She asked David to speak on a topic that he's extremely qualified for.   Shortly thereafter he gets a message:

Hi David, I find myself in an immensely uncomfortable situation. This is so going to sound soooo completely random, but, it seems you have had a serious conflict with a member of my PhD dissertation committee, Dr. Jace Weaver.* I have not been privy to any details. Please do not feel inclined to defend yourself or express your side. I do not wish to know anything about what has happened, but since he is my mentor, I need to handle this especially gracefully. (OP: Do not piss off the Wannabe who's gonna grade me?)


Having done a little background research, I read that your daughter has obtained a law degree and has experience in human rights. Would it be too much to ask that we might divert the request for commentary to her? I'm extremely sorry for this most unexpected development. 

Kind Regards, Courtney

David, always ready with a reply, did:

I  haven't had any conflict with him, YET. I just keep pointing out he's an ethnic fraud and liar. He keeps avoiding the issue.  (OP:  LOL, no conflict there!)
The fact that he is poisoning Indian country, including silencing my voice, however unintentionally, through you only steels my resolve to expose him for the phony he is.
Your own weakness does not bode well for your career. Ya sure you'll probably go far. But I hope you ALWAYS remember this moment you let a wannabe silence a real indigenous voice.
I won't be suggesting my daughter do anything for you. She has too much integrity for such BS.
Take care

BOOM! The kid strikes back:

Please consider doing your own research on Dr. Jace Weaver. Someone -- not naming any names -- is a little drunk on haterade and his vision is hazy.  (OP: That doesn't even leave a mark)

From the comments:

....If he can lie about his very identity for personal gain, how can anything else he has done be trusted?

Wannabes like Jace Weaver are a threat to indigenous identity and tribal sovereignty.

You put your own personal relationship with Jace Weaver, and desire to have your dissertation accepted, above journalistic integrity. It's not too late to keep your integrity intact. Do the right thing.

Courtney responds:

Yes....I decided to not collaborate with you out of respect for someone I respect, who's reputation you have baselessly attacked. It's on me. All me. Your behavior -- with the public post -- has shown me all I need to know about you. It has nothing to do with Dr. Jace Weaver. But have fun making this entire situation about you. You need counseling  (OP:  Is psychology her minor, or maybe a double major?)   Then, she quit responding, because backing up her assertions would melt the snowflake?

Lot's of comedy there by a young, perhaps starstruck student..who has "skimmed" the material, but hasn't made a deep dive.  Read this from David:
Clearing up Misconception on Cherokee Identification

As was said.....there's a cream for that butthurt...



*Weaver had claimed Cherokee identity, but stopped when confronted with the fact...that he was not on the rolls, thus not a member


Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault Ask Protectors to LEAVE STANDING ROCK

After successfully fighting the Dakota Pipeline, Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault is asking for the protectors to return home.  He's asking law enforcement to do the same.   Which group will respect the chairman's wishes?
Standing Rock Protectors, in better weather


“We’re thankful for everyone who joined this cause and stood with us.” He added, “The people who are supporting us … they can return home and enjoy this winter with their families. Same with law enforcement. I am asking them to go.”

A civilian leader in the Army made the decision to deny an easement to the controversial Dakota Access oil pipeline despite Army Corps of Engineers recommendations that it be granted, according to officials and a document.

But because of the pipeline’s size — 30 inches in diameter — its approval went to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy, an official said…

When asked why Assistant Secretary Darcy decided to go against the Corps of Engineers recommendation, Kelley her spokesperson said, “the Army decided that the totality of circumstances call for additional analysis, a more robust consideration of alternatives, and additional public information.”


LYING, Thieving, Civil Rights Abusing Redding Rancheria Moving Win River Casino Near Redding

The Redding Rancheria of California is finally moving forward with plans for a new casino at a bigger location.
The tribe has submitted a land-into-trust application for a 232-acre site near the city of Redding. A scoping meeting -- the first step in a long journey -- takes place December 21.

"We are currently engaged in a process that will most likely take a few years to complete," Tracy Edwards, the tribe's chief executive officer, said in a post on Facebook.

Edwards said the tribe was "extremely excited" to start work on the project, which has been in the works for more than a decade. But the effort suffered a setback in 2010, when the Bureau of Indian Affairs said the land could not be used for a casino under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The tribe took the matter to court and won a favorable decision that opened the door for resubmitting the land-into-trust application. At issue was a controversial gaming regulation that appeared to limit the tribe's options until the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals determined otherwise in January 2015.
If the BIA approves the application, the tribe plans to close the Win-River Resort and Casino, which is located on a much smaller 2.3-acre site. Plans call for a facility with a 140,000 square-foot casino, a hotel with about 250 rooms, retail and an event/convention center.

"We are part of the community and we look forward to input from the community as we work through this project," Edwards said. "This project will have a huge, positive input on the county, the city, and the tribe, it could potentially bring many jobs and visitors to our region."

Monday, December 5, 2016

FAUXAHONTAS (Elizabeth Warren) DISCOVERS Dakota Pipeline; Heitkamp Pissed at Army Corp

AMAZING, Fake Elizabeth Warren discovered #NoDAPL this weekend!

For months, the Standing Rock Sioux and thousands of others have opposed a pipeline that many believe risks contaminating the tribe’s water supply. What have they faced in response? Attack dogs. Rubber bullets. Tear gas. Water hoses in freezing temperatures. 

A 21-year-old graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts had her arm nearly destroyed. And last week, the governor directed state and local agencies to refuse emergency assistance as a way to expel the tribe and their “water protector” supporters.

The response to Warren hasn’t been very kind. Here’s a sample of messages left on her Facebook page:

Friday, December 2, 2016

DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTS DAKOTA PIPELINE in Statement Today

Well, NOW we know why he was silent during the election, as was Hillary:

A communications briefing from Trump’s transition team said despite media reports that Trump owns a stake in Energy Transfer Partners (ETP.N), the company building the pipeline, Trump’s support of the pipeline “has nothing to do with his personal investments and everything to do with promoting policies that benefit all Americans.”

“Those making such a claim are only attempting to distract from the fact that President-elect Trump has put forth serious policy proposals he plans to set in motion on Day One,” said the daily briefing note sent to campaign supporters and congressional staff.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Indian Health Service WILL WATCH NOOKSACK 306 ELDERS DIE

A stern letter from Indian Health has NOT stopped the denial of health care to Native Americans being disenrolled by an invalid Nooksack Tribal Council.

HERE is an example of what that healthcare loss can mean.


We need field hearings by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.  Here's  a link to a letter to send to Chairman John Barrasso.

The BIA has refused to recognize the current council but they haven't put a stop to them running the tribe.

This is bordering on the CRIMINAL.   SPEAK OUT...write YOUR representative..