Credible Threat Causes Cancellation of Chukchansi Tribal Coucil's Swearing In

A meeting to swear in Chukchansi tribal council members was canceled Monday night after leaders said there was a "credible threat" made against those attending the meeting.

The group headed by Reggie Lewis that's in charge of the tribe's operations said they called off the meeting because of concerns it could be interrupted by protests from supporters of an opposing group led by Morris Reid. OP: NO first amendment issues here! They don't care about no stinking 1st amendement

Had the meeting on the rancheria near Coarsegold taken place, however, only Lewis, out of four winning candidates, was expected to be sworn in. Three candidates who won council seats in a December election were told last week that they will likely not be joining the new council. Their seats could soon be taken by other tribe members, either through a special election or appointments.

"Based on credible information forwarded to public safety officials and the history of past actions of a small number of agitators, the council determined out of abundance of caution that safety should rule the day," Lewis said in a statement.

Reid said his group wasn't a threat to the Lewis group's meeting because they were meeting at the same time Monday night in Oakhurst and had no plans to protest.

There was no information about a "credible threat" made to the Madera County Sheriff's Office, spokeswoman Erica Stuart said Monday night.
Roger Salazar, the Lewis group's spokesman, said the tribal council meeting and swearing-in ceremony will be rescheduled.

Three seats will remain open. The Lewis council issued letters of removal on Friday to Reid and one of his supporters, Dora Jones. That put them on the sidelines along with another Reid supporter and winning candidate, Dixie Jackson, all barred from the building where the tribal council meets. All three were involved in disputes with the Lewis council that started with a contentious Dec. 26 meeting and continued with a Feb. 27-28 standoff at the rancheria.

A hearing on the removal of Reid and Jones is set for April 24, Salazar said. Since Jackson was never an incumbent, she's not eligible for a hearing, Salazar said.

Read more about the cancellation here

Is VIOLENCE the ONLY Way to Get the BIA involved in Tribal Disputes?

It’s disconcerting to look to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for help in tribal disputes, including disenrollments..  Many times, we hear them say “we can’t help” or “it’s an internal matter”.   We saw this to be the case in the recent upheaval that the Chukchansi Resort and Casino.

Take a look at the progression of quotes from Troy Burdick, the BIA’s Central California Superintendant:

2/26/21012

The Chukchansi tribal government was formed under rules that, Burdick says, keep federal authorities from stepping in -- even though the BIA has intervened twice in Chukchansi election issues since 1992.

OP:  Mr. Burdick blames ‘the rules’.   

Read Story Here

2/27/2012

Reached Monday evening, Troy Burdick, the BIA's Central California Agency superintendent in Sacramento, said, "I'm sure there is something we can do to resolve this. We are going to try to do what we can. I don't want to say anything to make it any worse."

OP:  Apparently the rules had changed in ONE day from not being able to step in to.. “I’m sure there’s something we can do.

Read Story for BIA quote here

So the question is WHAT changed?   Was it the violence?   Is the BIA saying that they will step in when there is violence involved?    Is that NOW a course of action at San Pascual and Pala?

RELATED STORIES

Read this editorial in the Fresno Bee
More on San Pascual
Read this NCTIMES story on Pala

Editorial: BIA's Refusal To Act Led to Violence Plus Response From A Disenrolled Chukchansi

Here's an editorial in the Fresno Bee that gets a lot of things RIGHT. But following the piece is a rebuttal from disenrolled Chukchansi member Cathy Cory

It’s difficult to find anyone in the Chukchansi tribal controversy who shouldn’t share the blame for the dispute turning violent today. Both factions in the leadership battle took calculated steps that made violence likely. Government officials from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Madera County sheriff’s office refused to act, even when it became clear that illegal acts had been committed.

It is no excuse to say that tribal sovereignty prevented authorities from moving earlier. When it got to the riot stage, law enforcement finally got involved, rushing to the scene with officers from multiple jurisdictions. Tribal sovereignty was no longer an excuse to look the other way.

But the agency that is most to blame is the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which repeatedly refused to sort out the tribal dispute. The BIA, which is under the U.S. Department of Interior, should be very embarrassed over its unwillingness to do its job when its presence was needed most.

Had the BIA heeded the many early calls to recognize the duly elected tribal leadership, the dispute likely would not have gotten this far.

There are many victims, includal tribal members. It’s a sad time for the once-proud Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians. The tribe's leaders rioted instead of resolving their dispute honorably.

Official say up to 50 members of the rival Chukchansi Indian leadership factions were escorted from the tribal offices by law enforcement this afternoon. Two people were injured when a melee involving about 40 people broke out earlier at the grounds of the Picayune Rancheria.

This is a story of how gambling money ripped apart the Chukchansi tribe. It's about who controls the tribe's casino and who gets to benefit from the gambling money. An election in December, changed tribal council leadership, but the losing side refused to give up control. The BIA would not get involved and the sheriff called the dispute a “family matter.”

Both were outrageous responses to growing trouble with the tribal leadership. The election results were clear, but the BIA empowered the losing side by not acting.

While authorities ducked the difficult issues in this dispute, the refusal of the losing faction to leave in December started us on the course that ended in a riot. But that did not give the other side — which was the duly elected council — the right to break into the tribal offices on Monday.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs could have recognized the proper leadership. But the BIA shamefully refused to get involved.

This is a very sad saga that just might make California voters rethink their support of tribal gaming.

Cathy Cory's Response:

Although many of the articles in regard to the conflict at picayune seem to describe it as "recent," this is hardly the truth...these conflicts in regard to disenrollment and power within the tribe have been ......occurring for almost a twenty year period...the BIA and CONGRESS have long been aware of what is going on within several gaming tribes--this horrendous violation of thousands of indian people's tribal, civil, and human rights by their own corrupt tribal governments--BUT HAVE REFUSED PLEAS FOR HELP IN THIS VERY THEFT OF THEIR BIRTHRIGHT AS INDIAN PEOPLE...



Over 200 people were disenrolled from picayune in 1999, another 500-600 in 2006-2007, 57 in 2011, and around 70 thus far this year with another 200 pending...OVER ONE THOUSAND CHUKCHANSI PEOPLE--ELDERS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS--HAVE BEEN DISMEMBERED OR ARE PENDING DISENROLLMENT AS OF TODAY (significantly, in a tribe that had 1073 members in 1998 "pre-chukchansi gold"--NEARLY 2/3 OF THE TRIBE)


Picayune is only the tip of the iceberg...redding, dry creek, table mountain, pechanga, pala, san pasqual, enterprise--over 20 of the gaming tribes or those attempting to establish gaming here in california are engaging in this horrific genocide and theft of the very birthright of THOUSANDS of indian people WITHOUT SANCTION BENEATH THE GUISE OF "TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY"...


Department of justice, the federal bureau of investigation, congress, and the bureau of indian affairs-- ALL should be involved at picayune...the tribal government there should be made to bring ALL the people home to picayune, and if unwilling to do so the casino should be closed and federal funds withdrawn until they do...


Honor the ancestors, the history, and the circle of our chukchansi people...bring the people--ALL the people--home to picayune...AND to every other tribe engaging in this blatant destruction of their people through dismemberment and nonrecognition...

CHUKCHANSI: Morris Reid Issues Request for BIA & Justice to Intervene in Dispute

Says Sheriff acted outside their authority.

From the Picayune Rancheria Morris Reid issued a statement this afternoon requesting that federal law enforcement intervene.

Here is the statement:

"We are issuing an emergency call to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs (Larry Echo Hawk), the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services and the Attorney General of the United States to send federal Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers to the Picayune Rancheria, and to exercise the law enforcement authority granted to the United States over Tribal lands within California under section 221 of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010.
This federal statute unquestionably authorizes the United States to assume and exercise concurrent law enforcement authority over the reservation until such time as the duly elected Tribal government is no longer being harassed and threatened. Failure by the Federal government to respond positively to this emergency call will be in violation of President Obama's commitment to Tribal sovereignty and the stated policies of his Administration.

"As the duly elected leaders of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, charged with protecting the inherent sovereignty of the Chukchansi people, we strongly oppose the action of the Madera County Sheriff and other local non-Indian law enforcement officials ordering the removal of elected Tribal officials from a Tribally-owned Tribal Government building on federal trust land.

This action by local non-Indian law enforcement is in excess of their authority under Federal law and is a flagrant violation of Tribal sovereignty and an affront to Tribal governments and Indian people across this country. To curtail this dangerous precedent, we are asking the Federal government to assume law enforcement authority over the Picayune Rancheria immediately."

Related Stories:

disenrollments

Amy Deutschke, BIA

United Auburn Indian Community

on tribal sovereignty

UPDATE: POWER SHUT OFF/Pepper SprayVIDEO ADDEDBREAKING NEWS: Morris Reid Led Group Cut Locks to Enter Tribal Offices.

UPDATE: The power was shut off to the occupiers and pepper spray way used on them. The occupiers broke windows to vent the offices. Two women were cut by broken glass. An incendiary was tossed into the building. Water and power have been restored. Sheriffs are "monitoring the situation".


A group that says it should be sitting as the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians tribal council cut locks and entered the tribal office building this morning.
The group, headed by Morris Reid, sought to be sworn in as the council at a meeting in December but was denied. The Reid group and the group now in power, led by Reggie Lewis, have been at odds since then with no clear resolution in sight.

Madera County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Erica Stuart confirmed the break-in at the office adjacent to Chukchansi Gold casino, south of Coarsegold, but said no arrests have been made.
Stuart said deputies arrived at the offices about 6:30 a.m. Sheriff John Anderson arrived about an hour later;
Stuart said the situation has been calm since then. Anderson has been talking to both sides trying to mediate, and attorneys for both groups have been called.

UPDATE: Here is some video. Morris Reid hates disenrollment NOW. He didn't mind it so much when he helped get rid of 500 members:




ABC has more coverage:

Should the BIA CEASE Recognition of the Shrinking Chukchansi Tribe UPDATED with new graphic

The Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, of Coarsegold near Fresno have drastically reduced their membership.   They have recently removed 200 people including their few remaining language speakers.  The BIA's director Dale Risling was quoted in 2007 saying there was nothing they could do "short of ceasing to recognize" the tribe because of the Martinez decision.   Well, how many would recognize the tribe from what is was in 2005?

I have put together a very rudimentary graphic that explains what the destruction of the Chukchansi populace looks like if you put them into buses to move them.   Once a proud convoy of 30 buses would have been used (at 50 people per bus) to transtport the tribe.   Now, after the tribe has thrown so many UNDER the bus, less than eight full buses would be needed.

I believe the BIA should cease to recognize THIS tribe, especially after the recent election debacle.

Will the BIA get its head out of the sand and exercise it's moral outrage?

Chukchansi Elders Voices Cry Out From The Reservation

Our Friends from Sierra Star had a letter printed from a Chukchansi Elder. It's worth reading. If the Star wasn't keeping this out front, few people would see it. Please help by sharing on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and email.

Tribal concerns fall to the wayside.

Where is our due process, civil rights, freedom of speech, sovereign immunity? Our rights to policy, procedures and votes -- all phases ruling one-sided.

Tribal people without an appeal process.

Lack of Bureau of Indian Affairs assistance has caused a void standing with the Department of Interior at the local level and with Washington D.C.

Hearings in federal court or a tribal court system on a reservation hinders all investigating processes for tribal people concerned with tribal legal affairs, constitution (interregnum) interpretation, rulings, due process, filings of appeals, (Habeas Corpus) banishment from our lands, our identity, dishonoring our elders and tribal children's futures.

The cry of the people that have been enrolled and recognized through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, now banished and forgotten, have a right to be heard at a local level, for without the tribal people, there would be no grants, 638 contracts serving all tribal people, casino compacts, memorandum of understandings with county, state and federal levels, and tribal revenues that go out to all counties and communities -- the later phase discarded due to an audit for disenrollments.

Where is the justice and honor? My Chukchansi people have been broken and divided by our own casino, revenues and serving tribal governing bodies.

What's next?

The cry of an elder(s).

Susan "Adena Johnson" Holguin, Madera;

WHAT'S NEXT?

Illegitimate Chukchansi Government Chains & Blockades Tribal Offices

Does this sound like the actions of a legitimate government? Wouldn't you think they would be proud of what they had done? Are they afraid of their own people?

A report from our Central California friends:

The tribal offices remain closed, and have been locked and chained since immediately following the "illegal" installment of the "new" council December 26th, 20ll--almost eight weeks ago.

The entrances not only are chained, but are blocked by Picayune
Tribal vehicles inside the gates and guarded by at least two members of security at each chained/blocked entrance.

Strange Happenings At Chukchansi: Checks Going Out To Long Time Disenrolled for Unknown Children

We have received word that a few people who were disenrolled from Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians last decade, have received checks for "clothing allowances" for minor children. That'd be terrific news, making one think that the tribal council members who signed the checks, in this case Nancy Ayala and Nokomis Hernandez were coming to their senses.

But the strange thing is that they never heard of this "minor child". Also strange is that these people were disenrolled in 2006. WHY would Chukchansi have them on any roster that would allow them to be paid?

IS it POSSIBLE that Picayune is conceivably continuing to use disenrolled
tribal members in their statistics reported to the federal government in order to secure grant monies?

Need I say, "FRAUD and EMBEZZLEMENT of FEDERAL FUNDS?" Isn't this an example of "waste, fraud and abuse" our President is looking to eliminate? IS the Chukchansi tribe not telling the BIA and the Feds how many people they REALLY have on the roster?

Unless the Chukchansi Tribe enrolled a lot of new people recently, how many do they have? Does the BIA even CHECK? Or do they just hand out money with no oversight? Anyone?   Deutschke? Deutschke?