The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1991-08-14

              Tribe in the dark over casino deal
By Susan Stanich
The White Earth Reservation
chairman has agreed to a casino
management contract with a
Pennsylvania firm, although a
Minnesota firm allegedly offereda
better deal and at least one
reservation councilor didn't know
the choice existed or the deal was
made.
The councilor, Dan Stevens, has
asked the U.S. Congress to launch
an investigation into activities of
White Earth government officials.
The activies include keeping records
closed and allegedly running
fraudulent elections.
And the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Area Director Earl Barlow wrote
Stevens in early August that his
agency recommends special
election "as soon as possible" at
White Earth.
Chairman Darrell "Chip" Wadena
contracted last month with Gaming
World International of Ellwood
City, Pa., to oversee the construction
and management of the
Northwestern Minnesota
reservation's $10 million casino in
Mahnomen.
The company will keep 40 percent
of the proceeds. In contrast, Kiland
Distributing Corp. of Golden Valley
proposed keeping a diminishing
percentage of the profits, beginning
with 25 percent the first year.
Stevens said he had never seen or
voted on either proposal.
Wadena's critics say he has the
habit of making major decisions
behind closed doors and without full
council participation — both as
White Earth Chairman and as
president of the larger Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe. Two weeks ago,
they started a sit-in protest at White
Earth that has resulted in 54 arrests.
In Stevens' letter to Sen. Paul
Wellstone, D-Minn., and Minnesota
representatives Martin Sabo and
Colin Peterson, he called for a
Senate Select Committee
investigation into last year's election
that kept a Wadena supporter in
office. Several White Earth
members have admitted they helped
rig that election.
"It is with great concern for my
people and with hopes of obtaining
justice and democracy for our
Reservation that I sincerely request
an investigation," Stevens wrote.
"Our people are only demanding
their rights ... the right to vote, the
right to open meetings and the right
to financial and total disclosure of
all Band affairs."
White Earth is largest of the
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's six
reservations, and the only one that
doesn't yet have a fuly operating
casino. Many of the country's
approximately 175 tribally-owned
casinos are operated by hired
professional managers.
Wadena's opponents say they're
particularly concerned about
openess in government in regard to
the casino because of the
opportunity for embezzlement and
the possibility of organized crime
involvement. Wadena previously has
done business with a New Jersey
man later indicted for mob
racketeering and conspiracy, and he
won't release details about the
casino currendy under construction.
.. White Earth members learned last
week they had a management
contract not from Wadena, but from
Kiland, the competitor for the
contract.
Eugene "Bugger" McArthur said
Indian Affairs Council draws
fire from former tribal leader
By Bill Lawrence
The Minnesota Indian Affairs
Commission should be abolished,
according to a letter sent to Gov.
Arne Carlson this week.
Long-time Red Lake tribal
leader Roger Jourdain, who wrote
the letter, is recommending that all
state funds to the commission be
"reprogrammed."
Jourdain said that the
commission, known as the
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council,
is run by a few elite who "exploit
the commission for their own
benefit.
" He also said the IAC is
nothing more than a political
office for its executive director
Roger "Bucky" Head.
"As we have observed for the last
12 years, they haven't achieved
anything," Jourdain said.
Jourdain, who served as tribal
chairman at Red Lake for 31 years
before retiring, helped to initiate the
council back in 1962. He said it "no
longer provides the services to the
Indian people for which it was
intended."
Jourdain is also calling for the
IAC to open its books to die public.
"They are criminally guilty
because they have neglected to send
out copies of their annual reports
and financial reports," he said.
The IAC may also be involved in
fraudulent activities, according to
copies of documentation received
by the Ojibwe News concerning a
$62,600 contract issued by the
council.
The contract was issued and
signed by Head with Charlotte
White, an IAC employee, signing
the space marked "Person
Responsible Signature."
No authorization signature was
received, however, from the state
administration office. Instead, the
contract was stamped Gerald T.
Joyce.
Joyce told the News that he did
not sign the contract. Joyce's office
provided the News with a copy of
the contract upon request.
This copy included attachments
(Exhibits) that were not provided to
the News earlier. "Exhibits A
through D," explained the AIC's
"Request for a single source
approval to initiate a contract with
Joanne Barr."
State law requires that all
contracts be open for bidding.
Copies of invoices and monthly
reports from tiie contract's veiJdor,
Joanne Barr, were requested as long
ago as May 31 pursuant to the Data
Practices Act, but have not been
provided to the News.
Charlotte White told the News
that her office has been in "a mess
for a few days," and said she is only
"one person," and therefore the
News would have to wait for the
information.
The News has also requested
invoices concerning $39,000 spent
on travel by the council during the
past year and regarding the
difference in operating expenses as
reported in the financial report.
According to the council's 1989-90
financial report, "Expenses/
COUndl/ see page 2
White Earth man victim
of Milwaukee serial killer
Carol Van Wert remembers
seeing accused serial killer Jeffrey
Dahmer on TV.
I was at my girlfriend's house. I
told her that "Joe better quit his
drinking or something like that
would happen to him."
Her comment was sadly prophetic.
Last week police identified the
remains of Joseph Bradehoft, 25,
among those found in Dahmer's
apartment.
Dahmer is believed responsible for
the torture and murder of at least 17
people. In a gruesome discovery last
month, investigators found scores of
bones and body parts strewn about
his apartment, Bradehoft's included.
He is among Dahmer's lastest
victims in a series of murders that
probably began more than a decade
ago.
Bradehoft came from a very close
family, born and raised in St. Paul.
Carol, the oldest daughter offered a
maternal hand to her brother, a boy_
whose life perpetually flirted with
danger.
He was a high school dropout at
age 16, he spent time in detention
centers, group homes, and probation
offices.
Joe eventually married and
fathered two children.
He spent his adult years working
odd jobs or not working at all. The
situation took a toll on his family
life, he had continuous marital
problems.
To soothe his wounds, Joe often
turned to alcohol. At one point he
rammed his car into a tree, splitting
the vehicle in half.
Over the past fodr years,
Bradehoft lived at his sister's home
off-and-on. She describes those
periods fondly.
"He was always busy doing things
for me, helping me cook supper,
shoveling the driveway. . . . We
shared a lot of things with each
other."
About two months later, Joe, who
had been separated from his wife,
convinced her to join him in White
Earth. She remembers the time as
serene with Joe finally able to pull
himself together.
But good fortune never seemed to
cling to Bradehoft for long.
Threatened with eviction, Carol and
Joe turned to drinking.
"We come from an alcoholic
family background," says Carol
matter-of-facdy. "We're alcoholics."
One night in late May they
returned from a bar to find Joe's
wife and the kids gone. He never
seemed to get over her leaving.
Two months ago Carol embraced
sobriety. Her brother left a short
time later, returning to St. Paul
"where he drank a lot. I think the
reason he drank so much is he lost
his family, he lost his children."
Carol last spoke with her bother on
her birthday, July 15.
Joe had phoned from Milwaukee,
where he was visiting their mother.
"He was really happy," she says.
Police have developed two
possible theories on how Bradehoft
and Dahmer met. The first suggests
that they met in a gay bar, which
eventually led Bradehoft to
Dahmer's apartment.
Investigators believe this was
Dahmer's most common method of
stalking victims.
Carol believes that they met at a
bus stop; Bradehoft was lured back
to the apartment by the prospect of
alcohol. "He would go anywhere if
there was a party."
"I really have bitter feelings about
this. I can't understand why a person
would do something like this. Joe
was only 25.1 never thought I would
lose my brother. I don't think we'll
ever forget.
Jack Kiland, president of the Golden
Valley firm, met with him and other
reservation members last week and
showed them the proposal Wadena
had declined to examine. Kiland said
last Wednesday he felt the
information should be open, and the
membership had a right to know
about options.
Kiland estimated the White earth
casino would generate a $34.4
million net profit a year. He said his
figure was gleaned from his
company's experience serving the
lucrative Little Six Casino near
Minneapolis and the Prairie Island
Casino near St. Paul — and owned
by Sioux tribes — and Mille Lacs'
Grand Casino.
Kiland estimated the reservation
could earn $48 more over a five-year
period than under Gaming World's
plan.
Bob Colaluca, vice president of
Gaming World, disputed Kiland's
figures as unrealistic. He also said
Kiland's firm could afford to charge
less because it couldn't offer the
kind of comprehensive management
Gaming World offers.
"Our figures were based on an
actual casino," Colaluca said. "And
they (Wadena and several other
White  Earth  officials)  were
impressed with our experience. We
offer a complete package — in
every component part of this,
finance, construction, legal and
management.. . We're very excited
about this project."
Wadena couldn't be reached for
comment, but earlier he had told the
Grand Forks Herald that like a state
official, he can't involve his
constituents in every major decision.
He also said he examined "a number
of (casino management) proposals
and they were all similar."
[Reprinted with permission from
the Duluth News-Tribune, Aug. 8,
1991.]
"Voices   of" the   A.nisliini
Fifty Cents
Founded in 1988
Volume 4 Issue 3
jMiiiiliiif'
August 14,1991 I
! Copyright, the Ojibwe News, 1991
A Bi-Monthly Publication
Bemidji, Minnesota 56601
White Earth protest continues
By Jim Ortiz
Staff Writer
On Monday evening, August 5th,
twenty-six people were arrested at
the White Earth Reservation
Business Committee (RBC)
Building. Among those arrested
were grandmothers and mothers
concerned about the future of their
children. This was the second group
of arrests in as many weeks.
Concerned Minnesota Ojibwe tribal
members have been camped out in
front of the White Earth RBC since
shortly after the occupation began
on July 26. There are two tepees and
about a half-dozen tents in front of
the building. People at the camp
indicated they wanted to go home
and get on with their lives, but they
want the issues resolved first. The
initial demands were submitted on
July 26th to Dan' Stevens {(he cnly
RBC committee member present)
and Earl Barlow, Area Director of
the Bureau of Indian Affairs in
Minneapolis.
Earlier in the day, Dan Stevens, as
well as other members of the RBC,
received a response from Mr.
Barlow. "We are in receipt of the list
of eight demands from members of
the White Earth Reservation. The
BIA lacks jurisdiction and authority
over the proposed demands, with the
exception of item six. Information
concerning the White Earth Land
Settlement Act (WELSA) is
available and may be provided upon
request." He went on to state, "We
recommend (that) the White Earth
RBC consider proposing a new
election as soon as possible for the
position of Secretary/Treasurer.
Allegations of election impropriety
continue to be the crux of the matter
and a new election may resolve the
issue.",
The following day, Tuesday
August 6th, Gary Frazer, Executive
Director of the Minnesota Chippewa
Tribe (MCT) in Cass Lake, and
Frank Annette, Superintendent of
the BIA in Cass Lake, met with
members of the camp who had not
been in jail. Frazer and Annette,
both White Earth enrollees,
proposed that a delegation of 5 to 10
of the camped protestors should
meet with them on Friday to begin a
dialogue to settle the dispute. The
protestors agreed to meet, but
rejected the idea of a select panel of
people. Instead they wanted all
interested persons to attend.
At the meeting Friday morning,
Frazer and Annette met with about
200 people in the bingo hall at the
White Earth RBC. The group stated
that there was no compromise in
their demands. The revised demands
included:
Camp Justice is located in front of the RBC as seen in the upper photo. The kwer photo is a meeting of concerned
trfodrmemberewtm officiate last Frklay art the ofepute at White Earth. Photo by Jim Ortiz
1. The immediate suspension of
Jerry Rawley, without pay, as
Secretary/Treasurer of the White
Earth RBC.
2. A request for investigation and
prosecution by the U.S. Justice
Department of all persons involved
in fraudulent elections in White
Earth since 1982.
3. Plans are initiated for an MCT
Constitutional Convention by
August 15,1991.
4. A complete and public disclosure
of all transactions made by WELSA
and the Shooting Star Casino
immediately.
5. A complete audit and public
disclosure of all the White Earth
RBC's revenues, including all
federal 638 monies and the 331
Discretionary Account.
Lowell Bellanger remarked, "It
seems to me the question here is that
the tribal council, as it sits today, is
in there on election fraud; that's the
question we should be addressing:
Do these people have the right to
say, 'Hey, we'll meet with you,*
even though they're in there
fraudulently elected."
We know for a fact that Darrell
'Chipp' Wadena, Tony Wadena and
Jerry Rawley are sitting there
illegally because of fraudulent
elections dating back to 1982. Just
prior to the last election of Tony
Wadena, Jerry Rawley and Tony
Wadena were not seated. Two
council members. Rick Clark and
Dan Stevens sat on the board; Chipp
Wadena was chairman . . . Several
(people) went to those two council
members and said, 'Put some
integrity back into this election
process... You have the authority to
have a meeting and replace the
election board. You are a quorum.'"
"These people refused to act on it.
By this refusal to act, that tells
constituants that there is a
conspiracy to cover up election
fraud by tribal council members.
That seems to be what's wrong here
- we're trying to negotiate with (an)
illegally-elected tribal council. Who
has the authority to remove them?"
Frazer responded," When I talked
to Chipp on Monday, he told me
Protest/ see page 8
Dissidents plead innocent in reservation protest
White Earth, Minn. (AP) -
White Earth Tribal Chairman
Darrell "Chip" Wadena says he'd
welcome an investigation into the
accusations against him because it
might silence his detractors.
"Just to satisfy them, I would
gladly invite an investigation,"
Wadena said Wednesday.
But Wadena said there probably
won't be an investigation because he
believes the federal government has
no jurisdiction over tribal elections.
Also Wednesday, the 27
dissidents charged with trespassing
during a protest at reservation
headquarters pleaded innocent and
were bailed out of jail,
Minneapolis lawyer Miles Lord,
a former federal judge who's
representing the dissidents, said
Wednesday the defendants posted
$50 bail each and were released
without condition. Lord said they
would be arrested again if they
occupied the reservation center, but
he said he didn't expect them to do it.
The dissidents were arrested
Monday after a four-day occupation
of the headquarters building. They
are demanding intervention in the
tribal government, saying there have
been fraudulent elections and that
organized crime influences tribal
gaming operations.
Protesters remained outside tribal
headquarters Wednesday, but there
were no arrests. Tribal employees were
admitted through a side door while
other entrances remained locked.
The protesters say they won't
leave tribal headquarters until
federal authorities look into an
election worker's admission that she
forged 135 ballots in a tribal election
in September. Wadena says he won't
meet with them until they leave the
headquarters.
Wadena says the protesters have
made similar charges many times
during his 15 years as tribal chairman.
He claims the protest leaders are
trying to improve their own chances of
winning future elections.
A federal investigation into the
charges of election fraud probably
wouldn't settle the matter anyway,
Wadena said. The ballots were
destroyed 90 days after the election,
so there wouldn't be any physical
evidence of fraud if it took place.
U.S. Attorney Jerry Arnold said
Wednesday that Justice Department
officials will decide soon whether
they have jurisdiction in the case. He
said  the  decision  won't  be
influenced by the protests.
"Ours is a question of law, not a
question of what's occurring on
the reservation," Arnold said.
In the past, courts have sharply
limited the federal government's
ability to interfere in internal tribal
matters, Arnold said
"The decision's been made in the
past that the Department of Justice
cannot move in and charge people
criminally on the basis of tribal
election fraud. We are taking
another look at it, pure and
simple," he said.
Meanwhile, Wadena said the
protesters are hurting Indians'
image.
"Whatever progress we made,
this sets us back 10 years,"
Wadena said. "The outside world
looks at us like savages now."