Madera County supervisors want the federal government to intervene in the ongoing strife between factions of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians.
They agreed on Tuesday to send a letter to officials in Washington, D.C., seeking a definitive ruling about the tribe’s leadership.
Three factions have been fighting for the past 19 months, each claiming to be the tribe’s duly elected leaders. Last year, there was a near riot that required a massive regional and state law enforcement presence at the rancheria’s business complex.
“The sheriff and the county contend that if the tribe is unwilling or unable to solve its own dispute, it is the responsibility of the federal government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to intervene,” the letter said. “We respectfully ask that you do so.”
Supervisors approved their letter Tuesday following a closed session and called for “assistance and intervention in resolving the internal dispute … concerning which tribal faction constitutes the true tribal government.”
The factions, headed by Nancy Ayala and Reggie Lewis, continue to assert that they are the rightful tribal council and accuse the other side of criminal wrongdoing.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs recognized December’s election, which placed Ayala and Lewis on the council, and ruled the third faction was out of power. In February, the council split into two factions when Ayala held a vote to dissolve the tribal council elected in December.
“They show no signs of resolving their differences,” the letter said. “The ongoing dispute over who represents the tribe has interfered with the ability of the Chukchansi Economic Development Authority to make its bond payments.”
In a ruling last week, a New York judge ordered both sides to cooperate when paying the tribe’s contractors and employees and bond payments for the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino.
Supervisors want federal intervention because each faction is accusing the other of wrongdoing and demanding Sheriff John Anderson take action. The atmosphere on the rancheria near Coarsegold remains tense, Madera County officials say.
The supervisors said the disputes are civil issues beyond the sheriff’s authority. A few weeks ago, Anderson asked supervisors to retain legal counsel with Indian law expertise after a Madera County judge ruled Anderson and his officers have to do a “till tap” at the casino, which would require the sheriff to go inside the casino and get money to settle an outstanding lawsuit brought by a former casino official.
10 comments:
These factions are pathetic. Unfortunately they make all Indians look bad. People are beginning to think all Indians are ignorant and greedy. Shameful!!!
These tribes well pretty much all the ones that have disenrolled are going to be torn apart and taken down when the Feds intervene. The corrupt greedy tribal leaders are ruining everything we have been fortunate to gain the past 10 yrs. If the tribe itself doesn't do something soon the federal government will!! Pechanga, Pala, Chukchansi you the people are the tribe not the few council members that dare to call themselves tribal leaders when they are all only out for themselves please you need to do something to take back your tribe before the greed of the discraceful leaders tear it apart. No matter who you blame they all have blame on them and we need to start off fresh and ban them from ever holding office again. The Middle East can do it so can we. PALA, CHUKCHANSI, PECHANGA stand up and fight TAKE BACK YOUR TRIBE!!
If you think it can't be done know this at last nights Pala monthly meeting corrupt chairman Robert Smith tried and failed to Ban his biggest opponent and enemy king for 2 yrs of no meetings and no percap. Of course Smith's brother Andrew brought up the motion but the people wouldn't stand for it and voted NO! See the general membership can stand up to these corrupt councils. Robert Smith could not silence his harshest criticizer who questions all his questionable actions and this is why chairman smith tried and failed to shut him down. Smith tried this after king passed out federal documents showing the true blood degree of the dis-enrollee's ancestor that Robert has constantly hid and lied about to the general membership. You see the TRUTH infuriate's people like Smith.
good luck to the madera county supervisors getting any assistance from the bia...hundreds of picayune tribal members have been pleading by phone, letter, and in person with the bia on a daily basis to intervene in this shameful fiasco even before 600 tribal members were dismembered in 2006, and to no avail...until congress agrees to utilize their plenary power to control and sanction tribal governments bent only on destroying their people for their own greed, the supervisors can request until they are blue in the face--nothing will be done...
Slot machine sovereignty.
That's what these tribes thrive on.
If they don't like what you have to say - Disenrolled!
King's store was recently vandalized most likely on Chairman Smiths orders after failing to pass his agenda on sanctioning king. I thought Robert said the disenrolled were gonna act out against tribal members. Seems the other way around when the disenrolled's family members are being attacked. Angry about not being able to keep the disenrolled silent about speaking the truth and getting the correct info out to tribal members. Robert wants this to go away because the more tribal members that realize the truth and see the REAL evidence and not Roberts secret evidence he can't show anyone "but take his word for it" HAHAHA (IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME) hope your on the right side
NEWS ALERT!!!
Tribal insider (sorry cant say who) speaks out about Pala's finances or lack of. They basically said Pala's BROKE! Chairman Smith and Treasurer Nieto will not show tribal funds or other accounts besides the casino profits which are provided at monthly meetings. This is because they cannot allow the tribe to see how much is in these accounts because the tribes reserve account is empty and they take money from these interest bearing accounts. Also the rumor about the EC taking out a loan for Christmas bonuses last year is true. The tribe didn't have the money to give the minimum bonus that's why they didn't let the people vote on the bonus like they have been. My response the current EC is running Pala into the ground soon there will be nothing left we'll end up like Chukchansi. We as the general membership need to stand up and ask more questions, demand answers, the EC works for us.
???? So what ? what are you (no protesting) pala Indians gonna do?
Unfortunately the tribe won't realize or believe until we end up like Foxwoods or Chukchansi in debt unable to pay out bills. For some reason some tribal members most family of the EC continue to believe the EC's deceit and that it's just the disenrolled or other tribal members talking trash trying to turn people against them. I wish it was that simply because I do not want to see Pala fall apart because of a few greedy leaders. Yes Robert Smith has done a lot for Pala but somewhere along he has lost his way and is now destroying all we as a tribe have been fortunate to gain now and for our future and children's future. Robert could end this we all know he can do good and he has so he needs to stop the over spending and kick out Dickstien and the other NON-TRIBAL MEMBER partners who take a cut of everything. Robert helped Pala once and in the past couple years has been tearing it apart so he can once again be a leader we all once looked up too and "honestly" elected. Chairman Smith take back our tribe you have an obligation to us members ALL MEMBERS including the disenrolled. We can set an example to other tribes that are fighting and falling apart instead of being a part of it. Chairman Smith you owe nothing to these outside partners and lawyers. There is enough to go around if its done fairly without outside influence. MAKE PALA GREAT.
The only way to "Make Pala Great"
again, is to bury the the trash 6'
under, and pour a double slab on top.
Post a Comment