Santa Ysabel Band OUSTS Johnny Hernandez; He Refuses to Relinquish Power

GOODBYE JOHNNY!   What a difference a year makes.    We wrote last year that Johnny Hernandez kept his seat and now that has changed.
 Members of the Santa Ysabel Band of Mission Indians elected a new tribal leader earlier this month, but Chairman Johnny Hernandez has refused to relinquish his power, tribal members say.

Hernandez's refusal is the latest in a series of internal feuds for the North County tribe, whose reservation is located near Lake Henshaw. Tribal members elected Virgil Perez as their new chairman on Nov. 7, two tribal members said.

The tribe also re-elected Vice Chairwoman Brandie Taylor, whom Hernandez tried to fire last year. Perez and Taylor will be sworn in on Dec. 5.

Following the election, Hernandez refused to give the keys to the tribal hall to the new chairman or allow him access to tribal records. Perez and Taylor asked the Intertribal Court of Southern California on Monday to force Hernandez to turn over the keys and abide by the election results.

Hernandez declined to be interviewed. Taylor also declined to comment.

On Wednesday, the tribal court's judge agreed with Perez and Taylor. Judge Anthony Brandenburg authorized them to change the locks on the tribal hall.

"He (Hernandez) is acting like a spoiled child and doesn't want to give up what he has," said June Sortore, one of the tribe's estimated 700 members.

Another Day, Another California Indian Tribe Running Amok: Santa Ysabel

Another example of a California's Indian Country tribe sqabbling. This time the SANTA YSABEL tribal chairman is seeking to be all powerful chief of tribe. Tribal leaders across the country know that California is giving a bad name to all Indian Tribes.


In a bitter ongoing feud, the chairman of Santa Ysabel Band of Mission Indians is attempting to unilaterally remove the North County tribe's vice chairwoman from her elected post.Both sides are expected to meet Tuesday at the Inter-Tribal Court in Rincon to discuss the removal.

In a letter dated Dec. 29, 2008, Chairman Johnny Hernandez told Vice Chairwoman Brandie Taylor that he had decided to remove her from her duties for "blatant insubordination."Taylor wrote back in a letter, addressed to the tribal court, that Hernandez did not have the power to remove her. She said the only legal ways to remove a vice chairwoman were through a recall process or through a legislative removal process.
That's a matter that will have to be resolved in court, said Cesar Luna, an attorney representing Hernandez."I understand those arguments," Luna said. The tribe's constitution "can lend itself to that argumentation, and that question should probably be resolved by the court."

In her letter, Taylor alleges that Hernandez defamed her by forwarding the removal letter to other tribal leaders and tribal organizations that she works with. She is asking the court to award her $10,000 in punitive damages."I believe that this letter has tainted my reputation as a professional woman tribal leader," Taylor wrote.

Taylor also is seeking an injunction barring Hernandez from removing her.Critics opposed to Hernandez say he has overstepped his authority on several occasions."

It's starting to get ridiculous," said June Sortore, a tribal member who is seeking to remove Hernandez from office


Read Edward Sifuentes article here