The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1994-05-06

              Federal authorities investigate
casino construction at White Earth
By Gary Blair
Chip Wadena hasn't been himself
since members of the U.S. Department of Interior Inspector General's
Office, agents of the FBI, and investigators from the IRS visited the Shooting Star Casino at Mahnomen, MN
and took some of the casino records.
Wadena, who is chairman of the
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the
White Earth Indian Reservation, is
reported not to be the only reservation
official and enrollee who is scared.
Sources say federal authorities now
have information that involves bid
rigging, kickbacks and income tax
evasion.
At the center of the government's
probe is Harold (Butch) Gordon, an
enrollee of the reservation and owner
of Gordon Construction, Inc., and the
reservation's attorney Peter Canon.
Gordon's company built the
reservation's multi-million dollar casino three years ago and now he's
become the focus of a federal grand
jury probe in Minneapolis.
Attorney Canon negotiated the con
tracts that Wadena and the
reservation's tribal council signed
that enabled the gambling facility
to be built. Sources say attorney
Canon has now hired legal council
for himself and that attorney is from
Minneapolis.
Gordon said in an interview on
Wednesday, "I've been cooperating
with the investigation. I haven't done
anything wrong."
Moments after the conversation
with Gordon, his attorney, Michael
Donohue, of Minneapolis, contacted
the PRESS. He said, "It's my understanding that Harold Gordon is going
to be a witness and not a defendant if
there is to be a trial. I haven't
recomended that he hire a criminal
attorney yet. I practice civil law so
he'll have to hire someone else if the
situation changes," he said.
With the tribal elections to be held
next month, the PRESS' visit last
weekend found many of the White
Earth residents poised and waiting for
the grand jury's findings. Few spoke
about the upcoming voting that many
say has already been fixed, as in past
years. Residents say Wadena's reign
has been history repeating itself, similar to when the reservation's sellouts
sold their land and greedy white's
pilfered all but a few of the remaining
acres. The difference is that this time
it's the casino and a small group of
Indians known as the reservation's
tribal council who are now accused of
being unable to account for hundreds
of thousands of dollars involving the
building of their casino.
Sources say Angelo Mendure, who
operates the reservation's casino management company, Gaming World
Inernational, has been trying to take
some of the pressure off Wadena as he
awaits his fate. Recently, Mendure
treated Chippy and his family to a
night on the town in Fargo, ND. They
say he paid for two limousines to take
the Twin Lakes family to see country
western singer Vince Gill at the Fargo
Dome and he also treated them to an
evening of fine dinning.
They say Chippy agreed to go only
after the drivers assured him that they
Investigation/page 3
MIGA president Myron Ellis charged with
third DUI
By Bill Lawrence
In a complaint filed April 27, 1994
by Walker City Attorney Harlan E.
Smith Minnesota Indian Gaming Association president Myron Frank
Ellis was charged with his third Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
(DUI) offense in ten years. According to the complaint the incident occurred at approximately 9:05 p.m. on
April 8, 1994, in the City of Walker.
The PRESS was unable to learn why
it took the Walker City attorney office 19 days to file the complaint.
Normally, in DUI cases in the City of
Bemidji, complaints are filed within
2-3 days of the arrest. Breath tests
conducted on Ellis at the Cass County
Sheriff's Office produced a reading
of. 15.
According to the complaint, Ellis's
driving record indicates that he was
convicted for DUI on or about May
6, 1985, and November 9, 1987. In
addition, the complaint also states
that three passenger's in Ellis' car
were also taken into custody on open
bottle charges.
The complaint against Ellis, who
is also a Leech Lake RTC District
Representative, contains the following six charges: counts one through
three for DUI for three separate vio
lations of Minnesota statutes; count
four for "third DUI in ten years:"
count five for "driving over the
centerline;" and count six for "driver
allowing open bottle." Maximum
sentences for the six above charges
which together are classified as a
gross misdemeanor are as follows:
counts one, two, three, five and six
carry sentences of 90 days and/or
$700. fines each and count four which
carries a sentence of one year imprisonment and/or a $3,000. fine. Ellis
is scheduled to be arraigned on the
six above charges on Monday May 9,
1994, in Cass County District Court
in Walker, MN.
Clinton signed directives at meeting with tribal leaders
By Shelley Davis
"Welcome to the White House. Welcome home."
United States President Bill Clinton greeted more than 300 leaders of
federally recognized Indian Nations,
Friday, April 29. It was the first time
Indian leaders have been invited to
the White House to discuss issues
with a sitting president since President James Monroe invite/1 a group of
Native leaders in 1822.
Clinton signed two directives before the leaders, one of which was
directed to every executive department instructing them to cooperate
with tribal governments to accommodate "wherever possible" the need for
eagle feathers into practice of Native
American religions. The other was
for every executive department and
agency of government to remove all
barriers which prevent working with
tribal governments and to make certain if they take action affecting tribal
trust resources they consult with tribal
governments prior to that decision.
"What you've done to preserve your
culture is profoundly moving," Clinton said.
"It is the entire government, not
simply the Department of the Inte
rior, that has a trust responsibility
with tribal governments and it is time
the entire government recognized and
honored that responsibility," said
Clinton.
Clinton listened while Native leaders brought forth issues and concerns.
Many of the leaders said they believed he really listened to what had
been said.
He said he wants the Native American Free Exercise of Religion Act to
pass so that he can invite the Native
leaders back to the White House and
sign it in their presence. But he wants
Congress to consult with the Native
leaders to make the act constitutional
and strong.
Attorney General Janet Reno and
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt will
meet with Native leaders in New
Mexico this month and Secretary
Cisneros of the Housing and Urban
Development will hold a series of
23 meetings in an effort to "move
our nations forward, together," said
Clinton.
"All our governments must work
together," Clinton said. "We must
simply be more responsive to the
people we serve."
The President said every Indian
Nation must be brought into the position to compete economically.
" I invited the leaders of every recognized tribe here today," said Clinton. The invitation had gone to the
547 federally recognized Indian Nations. ,lBut I will be the first to acknowledge that not all have been able
to join us because they simply don't
have the resources to come. And I
know well, that many of you have
come here at great personal sacrifice
to yourselves and the members of
your tribes."
He said that issue underscores the
work to be done and that working
together, the federal government and
Indian Nations can ensure all of "our
brothers and sisters" will be able to
attend the next time "we all get together."
"This great historic meeting today
must be the beginning of our new
partnership, not the end of it," Clinton said.
President Gaiaskibos, National
Congress of the American Indian and
Chairman of the Lac Court Oreilles,
andPrincipal Chief Wilma Mankiller,
of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma,
were the masters of ceremonies.
Gaiaskibos opened the meeting, saying, "After 200 years our input is
welcome."
Clinton/ see page 3
Senator Paul Wellstone will conduct field hearing
on health care Reform for Great Lakes Tribes
The public is invited to an official
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
field hearing Monday, May 9 from
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the
Bemidji Holiday Inn.
There will be a 45 minute question
and answer period. Those wishing
to speak must sign up at the door,
listing their topic. Each person will
be allowed 2 minutes to address the
committee. This is an official Senate
hearing and all statements will be
on record.
The public is encouraged to attend
this important gathering and to pass
the invitation on to anyone who
might be interested in attending.
"Your input on this subject will be
very important as we formulate
health reform in the Congress,"
stated Senator Wellstone.
Witnesses from Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan will be
invited to give testimony on Indian
health care issues and how Indians fit
into the national health care reform
proposals. There may also be time at
the end of the hearing for open
microphone testimony for those who
wish to comment, he said.
Order intended to ease backlog in dead eagles
By Philip Brasher
WASHINGTON (AP) American
Indians hope an executive order
signed by President Clinton will ease
a backlog in eagle remains used in
religious ceremonies.
Clinton said Friday at a meeting
with the nation's tribal leaders that
he was directing federal departments
to cooperate with the Interior
Department in distributing dead
eagles to tribes.
The department's Fish and Wildlife
Service, which has a backlog of
requests for about 2,000 eagle
carcasses, distributes what remains it
gets to Indians who apply for them.
"There is never a way to get caught
up. Every day that we ship eagles we
also receive new, approved
applications," said Tom Rayl, who
oversees the agency's National Eagle
Repository in Ashland, Ore.
It is illegal to hunt eagles under
federal law, making it difficult for
67 candidates file for MCT elections/ pg. 1
Minorities face huge hurdles in advancing to college/ pg. 2
Jr. Achieve, joins AIOIC for minority program/ pg. 3
AIM panel heard evidence to find Bellecourts guilty/ pg. 2
Feds investigate construction of WE casino/ pg. 1
Reflections by Wub-e-ke-niew/ pg. 8
Voice of the Anishinabeg (The People)
1
Indians to getthem. The eagles turned
over to the repository usually died of
old age or in accidents.
"The eagle has been the symbol of
the American Indian since time
immemorial," said Wilbur Between
Lodges, chairman of the Oglala Sioux
tribe in South Dakota. "It's free and
it's strong. That's why we use that."
In Indian religions, eagle parts are
often used  in prayer to help
Eagles/ see page 2
The
Fifty Cents
Ojibwe
News
We Support Equal Opportunity For All Pcnpli
Founded  in 1988
Volume 5   Issue 45
May 6, 1994
1
A weekly publication.
Copyright, The Ojibwe News, 1994
Bemidji houses a regional IHS
office which serves 29 tribes in the
three states. Nationally, IHS serves
1.3 million Indians as required by
treaties with the federal
government.
The Clinton administration has
recently backed off on plans which
would have cut IHS funding out of
proportion to the agency's size.
For more information contact
Diana Seeger or Mark Anderson at:
2550 University Avenue, Suite 100
North, St. Paul, MN 55114, 1-800-
642-6041 or 612-645-0323.
Photo by J.C. Oritz
Traditional dancers circle the arena at the John Glas Fieldhouse during the 21st Annual CIS Pow Wow.
Pictured (left to right) are Harold Goodsky, Jim Brown, Michael Johnson and John Rainbird.
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe certifies
candidates for June 14th, elections
By J. Rainbird
The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe certified 67 candidates for office for the tribe's six member reservations. The
elections will be held on June 14,1994, on all of the six reservations. The Tribe's member reservations are as follows:
Leech Lake, Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Mille Lacs Lake and White Earth. The elections will be for
the offices of Secretary/Treasurer and District Representatives. All offices are for 4 year terms. The list of candidates
are as follows:
Office
Office
Office
Leech Lake Reservation
Secretarv / Treasurer
Walter "Frank" Reese
Randy Gregg Finn
Burton A. Howard
Daniel Brown
James D. Michaud
District I
Alfred Fairbanks, Jr.
Myron "Butch" Fairbanks
Leo A. Gotchie, Sr.
Spencer Shotely
Joseph A. Warner, Sr.
Gerald L. White
Bois Forte Reservation
District II
Jack Seelye
Charles A. Beaulieu
Arnold "Butch" Dahl
Samuel K. Goose
Diane Stangel
Hartley White, Sr.
Lawrence A. McClimek
Secretarv / Treasurer
David C. Morrison, Sr.
Wendell Drift
Isabelle Strong
District I
Doris Isham
Mark Drift
District II
Phyllis Boshey
Adeline Anderson
Marvin Nott
Elect/ see page 2
Burton Howard announces his candidacy for
Secretary / Treasurer of Leech Lake
Anin, My name is Burton Howard
and I am announcing my candidacy
for Secretary / Treasurer for the Leech
Lake Tribal Council
I was born and raised in the village
of Inger. Inger was and still is rich in
the culture and traditional values of
our people. My parents and
grandparents taught me my morals
and values and how to be strong
spiritually as well. They taught me
respect for our elders, women and
nature. I learned strong work ethics
from my father. My mother taught
me how to care and love others as well
as myself.
I graduated from Deer River High
School in 1977.1 then enlisted in the
Army National Guard and was
Honorably discharged after fouryears
of service. I also attended and
graduated from Bemidji Vocational
School with a degree in accounting.
This included courses in Business
Law, Computers, Economics, as well
as Governmental and Business
Accounting. This education enabled
me to obtain employment with the
Leech Lake Tribal Council in the
accounting department.
I worked directly with the executive
director and tribal council which
involved these areas:
1. Budgeting
2. Internal control procedures
3. Planning cash flow requirements
4. Grants and contracts requirements
5. Working with auditors and other
personnel from outside agencies.
I believe my attributes have prepared
me for the position of Secretary /
Treasurer. My goal in the office of
Secretary / Treasurer is to implement
a financial management system that
is fiscally responsible and
accountable.
Now more than ever, Leech Lake
Reservation needs new leadership that
will carry out the people's vision of a
more prosperous future.    New
leadership that will recognize
individual rights and freedoms. New
leadership that insures a system of
checks and balances is implemented
to balance government authority. New
leadership that will insure
accountability.
As Secretary / Treasurer, I will fully
disclose the financial operations and
condition of the Leech Lake Tribal
Council. Full disclosure of current
and audited financial statements is
essential to maintain trust and
accountability. The tribal council
will also develop and operate within
a balanced budget. Long term
financial planning must be developed.
Ibelieve local councils must become
involved in the decision making
process. Local councils must be given
the authority and financial support to
operate their own cultural and social
programs. Our planning department
Howard/ see page 2