Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2003-02-14

              INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY 2
NEWS BRIEFS 3
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS 4
CLASSIFIEDS 7
Bush's budget a
disaster for
Minnesota
page 4
Who Profits? For Jim
Graham, it may be his
company, as well as
the company he keeps
page 5
Prison vote in Leech
Lake members
infinitesimal
page 4
Reign of terror in
Minneapolis
page 4
Commentary
Leech Lake
people give Pete
a second chance
page 4
Pete White wins Leech Lake special election
Leech Lake—On Tuesday, February 11*, Leech Lakers elected
Pete White to fill the chairman's
seat that was vacated by the recall
of Eh Hunt in an October 11"1 recall
election. White will serve out the
remainder of Hunt's term, which
will expire June 2004.
An Inauguration and Swearing-
in Ceremony will be conducted at
10:00 a.m. on Friday 21,2003 at
the Palace Hotel & Casino, Paradise Room. Everyone is welcome
to attend the ceremony and luncheon for the newly elected Chairman, Pete White.
White won with 58% ofthe
1347 votes cast in Tuesday's special election against Deanna L.
"Dee" Fairbanks, considered a status quo candidate supported by the
old guard Leech Lake tribal establishment, including recalled chairman Eh Hunt and several ofthe
current council.
White's candidacy was supported by Archie LaRose and others ofthe "reform" movement on
Leech Lake reservation.
In an interview with Molly Miron
ofthe Bemidji Pioneer, White
said that he wants to look at the
tribal budget and develop a three-
to five-year plan. His goal, he
said, is to be of service to the
people of Leech Lake, rather than
building up government.
"Our people are deserving of
better and more," he said. "According to the constitution, we
have to have an administrative
plan and we haven't had one for
years."
White said he wants to empower the eleven local community
councils on Leech Lake reservation to improve peoples lives and
to develop jobs of which people
can be proud.
White resigned as Leech Lake
RBC district 1 rep March 31,2001.
"I resigned because I couldn't see
a direction that would be productive for our people," he told
Miron. "I know the operations
well and I'm sure with a good administrative team we can rum our
situation around.
Leech Lake Reservation
Special Election Results
February 11,2003
OFFICE OF CHAIRMAN TO FILL AN UNEXPIRED TERM
PRECINCTS
INGER
BALL CLU8
S-LAKE
8ENA
SUGAR POINT
SWOKEY POINT
CASS LAKE
MISSION
ONK3UM
CASS RIVER
OAK POINT
DULUTH
MINNEAPOLIS
ABSENTEE
I     9
10.59%
76
89.41%
54
35.76%
97
64.24%
f      6
22.22%
21
77.78%
|     30
58.82%
21
41.18%
18
34.62%
34
65.38%
2
6.25%
30
93.75%
158
43.17%
208
56.83%
49
41.18%
70
58.82%
54
54.55%
45
45.45%
10
50.00%
10
50.00%
9
40.91%
13
59.09%
7
30.43%
16
$9.57%
63
59.43%
43
40.57%
93
47.94%
101
52.06%
562
41.72%
785
58.28%
ELECTION CERTIFICATION
Wo, the undersigned members of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Election Board, hereby certify the above to be a true abstract of the
votes cast forthe candidates shown herein in the Special Election
held February 11,2003.
Chairperson:   [A^oJJL^ U 0 . Wi^WW
Member    ^S^yvQ j^W^ffi/Wg^	
Member:
Member
Member
C. '"O -\ tr~rc*-*Ji^/
Who has final authority over police at Red Lake?
Split RLTC vacates reinstatement of CI's by chiefs
by Clara NiiSka
The four-month saga of Red
Lake criminal investigators Jason
Lawrence and Donovan Wind may
have ended at the tribal council
meeting on Tuesday, February 11"1,
when both men were terminated
by tribal council resolution. A
statement seeking tennination
signed by four councilmen was
brought to the tribal council meeting by councilmen, signed by Jim
White, Billy Greene, Charlie
Barrett, Roman "Ducker" Stately,
Rudy Johnson, and Al Pemberton.
A motion to adopt it as a resolu
tion was made by Jim White, and
seconded by Billy Greene. It was" '
adopted 6-1, with Judy Roy,
Darrell Seki and Clifford Hardy
abstaining. Julius 'Toady" Thunder voted "no."
The tribal council's termination
actions only pertained to Jason
Lawrence. Donovan Wmd resigned his position as Red Lake
criminal investigator last week.
In mid-October 2002, director
of public safety Pat Mills advised
the Red Lake pubhc safety commission that he was conducting an
"administrative inquiry" into
Lawrence's response
Jean SMnaway-Lawrence, Jason's wife and an employee at the Red
Lake pohce department, called Press/ON just as this issue was going
to press. Jean told Press/ON that, "We are going to pursue the issues
in tribal court, and if needed, with further litigation beyond tribal
court. Hopefully, we will be treated fairly, considering his past position in law enforcement, in which he treated all persons fairly. Jason
really did put 110% into his job, and I believe that people in the Red
Lake pohce department are going through a lot because of this: to see
a man put 'his, all' into his job, and then have something like this happen. The morale is down, and I feel that it's because the tribal council,
or some of its members, are dictating our every move. I feel that it's
hard to work under those circumstances. We love our work, but when
politics get involved, it gets complicated."
Lawrence and Wind's "misuse of
tribaT credit cards they used for"
their personal vehicles while in
travel status to testify in Federal
Court." The public safety commission reviewed financial records
in the U.S. Attorney's office and
tribal office, and found that the
two pohce investigators had "illegally received tribal funds in the
amount of $439.79 (to Lawrence)
and $1,117.60 (to Wind) for mileage reimbursement.
On November 19th, tribal administrator Francis "Chunky"
Brun, pubhc safety chairman
Mickey Fairbanks, and tribal
council chairman Gerald "Butch"
Brun met at Butch's home, according to a pubhc safety commission report. The council chairman
"appeared to be very upset with
the two criminal investigators
about the results of the inquiry that
was made by Director Mills," according to a report signed by commission chairman Micky
Fairbanks, along with pubhc
safety commissioners Charles
Barrett, Peter Black, Joseph
RED LAKE to page 5
Department of Interior
Secretary Norton
By Jean Pagano
The new 2004 budget request
for the Department of Interior
currently sits at a record high
$10.7 billion. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) budget request
also increases from $2.34 billion
in 2003 to $2.40 billion in
FY2004. While the overall numbers have increased in the budget
requests, there are still cuts looming for several programs.
Some ofthe cuts in BIA programs are found in the following
categories: construction, Indian
land and water claim settlements,
Indian Direct Loan program, and
Trust Services. The breakdown of
the cuts in construction is as follows: construction education -
down $83,000; pubhc safety and
justice - down $2,000; resource
management - down $ 11,000;
general administration - down
$2,000. Indian land and water
Budget Request at Record High $10.7 Billion:
blames trust for budget cuts
claim settlements decrease in the
following categories: Ute Indian
Water Rights Settlement - down
$2,234,000; Rocky Boys' Water
Rights Settlement - down
$5,068,000; and Shivwits Band-
dowri $16 million. The Indian'Di-'
rect Loan program will lose $2
million in funding. Trust Services, under Central Office Operations, will drop $3.49 million,
or about 40% of its 2003 allocation. Interestingly, $29.5 million
is being requested for information
technology improvements to help
with trust reform.
The overall FY2004 budget
also represents other cuts to Native American interests. Native
colleges are slated for a 10%
budget cut in the BIA budget.
The Department of Education's
budget calls for a 17% cut in
grants for tribal colleges. This
contrasts to earlier statements by
Secretary of Education Rod Paige
that tribal college grants would
be increased by 5%. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cuts loan guarantees and tribal housing subsidies by 50%.
In a recent appearance before a
Senate Committee, Secretary of
the Interior Gail Norton blamed
the cuts in programs on the ongoing Trust Reform battles brought
about by Cobell v. Secretary of
the Interior [Cobell). While
Norton stated that Indian trust allocation was the Department's
highest priority, she did not mention settlement limits that have
been proposed by her office nor
the Department's legal motions
which would renege on earlier
promises to account for deficiencies back to 1938.
BUDGET to page 5
Lawyers argue over tribal court's jurisdiction in suit
filed against drug company
By Joseph B. Frazier
Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore.— In a case that
pits two tribes against a drug giant,
the Navajo Nation Supreme Court
heard arguments on whether the
U.S. Supreme Court has given
American Indians the right to sue
non-Indians in tribal court.
Attorneys for Pfizer and members ofthe Navajo and Zuni nations clashed Thursday before the
tribal high court in a hearing at the
University of Oregon Law School.
The three-member court said it
likely will rule within 90 days.
The 16 plaintiffs say they are
among thousands harmed by
Rezulin, a diabetes medication that
was taken off the market after the
death of dozens of patients.
A lower Navajo court ruled earlier
that it lacks jurisdiction in the case.
If the Navajo Nation Supreme
Court agrees with the lower court,
the case will be dismissed, but the
plaintiffs will still have access to
civil courts.
The drug was developed and
distributed by Warner-Lambert
Co., which was taken over by
Pfizer in mid-2000.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave Rezulin "fast-track"
approval in early 1997, and the
drug was removed from the market
in March 2000. At least 63 deaths
were linked to the pill, mostly from
hver damage.
At least 2,000 lawsuits are pending from those who claim they
were damaged by the drug, or from
survivors.
LAWSUIT to page 5
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Volume 15 Issue 36
February 14,2003
Photo: Vince Hill
Former Mille Lacs Anishinabe Peoples Party Activist Al Reum stands in solidarity with other Indian
community members in the parking lot at the Little Earth Housing projects where Ron Johnson was
dumped in subzero temperatures, after allegedly being beaten and abused by Minneapolis police.
Community members assembled at Little Earth for the March of Shame and Pain on Thursday,
February 6th.
Reum was quoted by the Minneapolis Star Tribune as saying of his participation in the march, "I
love my family, and the people of Little Earth are my extended family.... When somebody disrespects
them, I can't throw somebody in jail like a cop, so this is the best I can do."
The sad story of some Dakota elders
By Maxine V. Eidsvig
A little over three months ago,
this writer attended a showing of
Sheldon Peters Wolfchild's
docudrama New Buffalo at the
Thunderbird Hotel in
Bloomington. The thirty-minute
film focused on Dakota elder's
rights and enrollment issues.
Two ofthe attendees, Vemice
Walker Weber, 84 years old and
Forrest Leith, 63 years old, were
featured in the film and each gave
moving testimony of their individual fight to gain recognition.
Vernice was bom and raised in
the Lower Sioux Indian Community near Morton MN. She attended the Flandreau Indian
School but had never been a resident there. However, she did become enrolled in the Flandreau
Santee Sioux tribe. Enrollment
was a process that has never been
carefully implemented but during
the time ofthe 1934 Indian Reor
ganization it could even be called
careless. Enrollment for young
people did not mean much at that
time. But they had to be accounted for somewhere and the
process became a hit or miss affair. Others who had attended
school in Flandreau were treated
similarly. Enrollment eventually
went from careless to fraudulent.
Vernice was descended from
the Mdewakanton Band of Minnesota and did not consider herself a legitimate enrolled member
ofthe Flandreau Santee Sioux
tribe. Since she met the requirements ofthe Shakopee
Mdewakanton Sioux Community,
she applied for membership in
that community. Vernice was told
by Shakopee that she would have
to relinquish her enrollment before they could consider her for
enrollment in Shakopee. She and
her daughter, who was also enrolled at Flandreau, relinquished
their enrollment as the first step
to become enrolled in Shakopee.
They were subsequently denied
enrollment in Shakopee. They attempted to be reinstated at
Flandreau, but were denied.
Vernice spent a considerable
amount of her own money to
fight the case in Shakopee tribal
court and lost.
Forrest was bom in the Pipestone Indian Hospital and raised
in Redwood Falls, which is
within the 10-mile prescribed
residency area of the Lower
Sioux Indian Community. He
was and is an enrolled member of
Lower Sioux. In the early
1990's, Forrest was part of a
group of people who also tried to
transfer their enrollment to
Shakopee. However, they retained their enrollment at Lower
Sioux. They also fought their
ELDERS to page 6
Mohegans,
Mashantuckets
tightening belts
Associated Press
UNCASVILLE, Conn.- Despite running two of the most
successful gambling casinos in .
the country, The Mohegan and
Mashantucket Pequot Indian
Tribes are not increasing tribal
member stipends and are taking
other steps to be frugal in an uncertain economy.
The Mohegan Tribal Council
voted recently to keep stipends,
or shares in the Mohegan Sun
casino's profits, at the same
level, at least for the quarter. Stipends of up to $28,000 per year
are paid to the tribe's 1,557
members.
The Mashantucket Pequot
tribe also has reduced stipends
to its 650 members, Councilor
Kenneth Reels told The Day of
New London. Their stipends had
been in the six-figure range, but
Reels would not say how much
they have been reduced.
Both tribes are working to pay
off huge debts that were incurred
during recent expansions.
The Mohegans over the last
few years spent $1 billion to add
a new casino and a hotel, conference center and sports arena to
its casino. The Mohegan Tribal
Gaming Authority last week reported a 159-percent increase in
earnings for the first quarter of
2003.
Earnings of $20.2 million
were up from $7.8 million from
the same three months of 2001.
MOHEGANS to page 7
Lower Sioux Treaty Council
hosts conference
Morton—A treaty conference
relevant to the Mdewakanton and
other Sioux Indian treaties at Jackpot Junction Hotel was held on
February 5-7,2003.
Hosted by the Lower Sioux
Treaty Council, the conference included comments by Sheldon Peters Wolf child, a member ofthe
Lower Sioux Indian Community.
Attendants at the conference received information on the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, copies of
Sioux treaties dating back as far as
1805 and those of 1837,1851 and
1858. Handouts were available on
the Dakota Conflict trials of 1862
and tribal and indigenous sovereignty issues ofthe 1800s.
The Treaty with the Sioux of
1805 allowed the U.S. to establish
military posts on 9 square miles of
land at the mouth of the St. Croix
River, including St. Anthony Falls,
extending 9 miles on each side of
the river.
CONFERENCE to page 6
Man charged in Lower Sioux
shooting enters Alford plea
REDWOOD FALLS — Rather
than face the possibility of at least
40 years in state prison, Dennis
William "Bundy" Pendleton, Jr.,
struck a deal Monday with prosecutors and ended what was Redwood County's first murder trial in
years.
Pendleton, 21, of rural Morton,
entered an Alford plea to second-
degree assault with a deadly
weapon. Under such a plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but
agrees that a judge or jury could
convict him based on the evidence
in the case.
He is one of two people accused of shooting Frank Irving
Parker n, 21, of Minneapolis, at
an early-morning house party near
SHOOTING to page 6
Cigarette smuggling linked to
terrorist organization
Associated Press
IRVING N. Y. — Two women
from the Seneca Nation of Indians' Cattaraugus reservation
played a key role in a cigarette-
smuggling ring that helped ship
thousands of dollars to a terrorist
organization, federal authorities
said.
The money allegedly went to
Hezbollah, the Islamic militant
group blamed for the 1983 suicide bombing that killed 241 U.S.
Marines and sailors in Beirut,
Lebanon.
Authorities allege the leader of
the smugghng ring — a native of
Lebanon who they say has taken
TERRORIST to page 7