Unelected Chukchansi Tribal Council Members BANISH Elected Officials

Carmen George of the Sierra Star News has another good article on the latest in the shameful saga of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians

We have posted articles from Carmen: Chukchansi Disenrollments Confirmed… and Chukchansi Issues Termiantion Letters…

In her latest article, karma has come back to strike at some elected tribal officials, who were fine with OTHER members being disenrolled. But now, they cry foul when they are BANISHED.

Following an election last month that ousted Chukchansi tribal council chairman Reggie Lewis and treasurer Chance Alberta, letters signed by Lewis have been sent to winners of the election stating they are to be stripped of all tribal benefits and services for 10 years, excluded from all Chukchansi meetings for five years and forced to pay restitution and expenses associated with the disruption of a tribal meeting Dec. 26.

At least 16 letters are believed to have been sent out, said Morris Reid, the newly-reelected chairman who also received one of the banishment letters.

The letters state members violated an "anti-violence" ordinance by disrupting the Dec. 26 tribal council meeting.

Opposition arose from many tribal members at the meeting when they were told the council they elected would not be allowed to take their seats Dec. 26 as scheduled. An announcement was made that a new February election was scheduled for one of the four seats after an appeal against a winner was filed. Until that time, the existing council would continue to serve, Lewis said


It seems the POLICE believe there was no violence:

Madera County Sheriff's Department deputies were present at the Dec. 26 meeting to ensure the peace was kept. Erica Stuart, department spokesperson, said there was no violence at the meeting that would have warranted detaining anyone. Only one official complaint was filed with the department regarding pushing and shoving, Stuart said.

The BIA admits it's ineffective and unnecessary:

"BIA is more or less an administrative body in dealing with contracting programs for these things that have to come through us for review and approval, but they are minimal," said Troy Burdick, superintendent of Central California Bureau of Indian Affairs in a previous story. "Most of the tribe's handle their own affairs pretty much on their own

Read the full article at the Sierra Star News