Susan Bradford: Saginaw Chippewa Still Want Their Congressional Investigation

Where’s Our Congressional Investigation, Saginaw Chippewa Indians Ask

Within the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan, a former client of former Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, tribal members are asking why Congress has not acted on their request for an investigation into the fraudulent takeover of their tribe by fictitious Indians from Flint, the birthplace of General Motors, which has extensive reach and financial stake among the tribes.

“The (fictitious Indians) put all their families on the rolls, when, of course, they we illegitimate members to begin with,” tribal sources said. “There are a lot of un-Chippewa people over here, walking in shame. Everyone knows this!!!”

After Chief Dennis Kequom assumed power of the tribe in 2010, he promised tribal members that he would appeal to Congress for an investigation into the usurpation in 1986 when their constitutional was fraudulently revised to shore up power for the illegitimate interlopers, allowing them to control the tribe’s wealth and growing businesses while adding ever new waves of fictitious Indians onto the tribal membership rolls.

According to inside sources, Kequom requested that the tribe’s attorney, Scott Reed, write the letter to Congressman Doc Hastings requesting an investigation. The tribe’s lobbyist, Larry Rosenthal of Ietan Consulting was overheard telling a Tribal Council Member that he would block the investigation. Rosenthal’s mentor, retired Congressman Dale Kildee from Flint, was a key player in the takeover of the tribe and constitutional revision,

“We don’t have sovereignty over here,” inside sources said.  “Larry Rosenthal keeps threatening Tribal Council with that they will destroy our sovereignty if they do the Congressional investigation.”
While Tribal Council Minutes report that the tribe’s duly elected leaders voted for the investigation, Hastings seemingly never responded. Tribal insiders report that Rosenthal succeeded at blocking the investigation by not delivering the letter to Congress. According to the House Ethics Office, if the allegations are true, Rosenthal did not breach formal congressional ethics statutes but may have flown afoul of his contractual and professional obligation to the tribe.

So far Hastings’ office has not commented on whether the Congressman received the letter or not, citing that the matter is under investigation.

Tribal members, who are keen to remove the fictitious Indians and restore legitimacy to their tribe, also took it upon themselves to compile a book of evidence along with a letter requesting a congressional investigation, but have yet to receive a response to their personal efforts.

Among the leaders contacted, they said, were: Hastings; Rep. Nick Rahall; Sen. Byron Dorgan, who has since entered private practice to work in government affairs ; Sen. John Barrasso; Jerry Gridner, the Director of Indian Affairs at the Department of Interior; Sen. Carl Levin; Sen. Debbie Stabenow; and Rep. David Camp.

“David Camp knows everything that took place over here on the Mt. Pleasant, Indian reservation back in the 70′s and early 80′s,” tribal sources said. “David Camp, Carl Levin, Don Albosta, Bill Schuttee, Don Riegle all from Michigan, knew what the Tribal Council was up to. They also knew that Tribal Council was counterfeit and illegitimate and crooked. These congressmen too were soooooo crooked they could not see straight.  (Tribal attorneys) Thomas Wilson and Karl Funke, were quite crooked too…     The Congressmen should help us out, they made this mess.”

Another Crack in Tribal Sovereignty Dam: Victory For Saginaw Chippewa Membership Applicants

The Plaintiffs in this case were denied due process and their own tribal council would not follow their own laws. This is a victory for tribal members over a corrupt council. A great day for tribal country and for this tribe's applicants membership. Another crack in the sovereignty dam.

"The Tribe had previously taken the position it would not honor its own Tribal blood quantum certifications," said Fisher, attorney for Tappen and Ayling. "That resulted in Tribal applicants who were born to Tribal members who had at least one half degree Indian blood quantum, not being allowed to use their parents to prove their members (eligibility).

"The Tribe has taken the position for the last several years that one half of one half does not equal one quarter."

Chief Judge Kevin K. Washburn, Associate Judges Robert Kittecon, and Dennis Peterson issued an opinion and an order that would allow Dennis Tappen, Angela Ayling and Skykur Graveratte "due process rights" with their applications for Tribal enrollment.

Section 6A, of the Tribe's enrollment ordinance provides the documentation that may be used by applicants for membership to establish one quarter degree Indian blood required by the Tribe's Constitution," said Frank Cloutier, Tribal public relation's director. "The Tribe's Court of Appeals ruled in the Graveratte case that the Tribe must allow other types of evidence to be presented and considered when determining whether an applicant meets the one quarter degree Indian blood requirement.

"Similarly, in the the Tappen and Ayling cases, the Appeals Court held that the Tribe must consider its own Tribal certification for blood quantum purposes."

Cloutier said the blood certifications made by the Tribal certifiers are "presumed valid unless the Tribe provides evidence to the contrary."

See the Rest of the Story