Statement of Kevin K. Washburn, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs,
Regarding the Cedarville Rancheria
“Last week, the Cedarville Rancheria experienced a terrible tragedy. Three tribal members, one tribal employee were killed and two tribal members were seriously injured, leaving the community aggrieved and in shock.
Kevin Washburn, Assistant Interior Secretary – Indian Affairs
Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the survivors, family members of the victims, the Cedarville Tribe and the surrounding community at this difficult time. The Bureau of Indian Affairs had people on the ground in Alturas the day after the incident and has assisted the tribe with continuity of government operation. Tribes around the nation have responded with an outpouring of support and offers of assistance.
Tribes are, by necessity, very resilient and we are confident that the Cedarville Rancheria will survive this tragedy.
The Cedarville tribal government will continue to govern, will rebuild their community and they have already taken steps to start the process of healing.
This event has made my commitment to increasing public safety throughout Indian Country even stronger. ”
This is known as BLOWING SMOKE UP OUR ASS. HOW are you going to increase public safety in Indian Country? You could be a factor RIGHT NOW at Chukchansi. You could shut down some casino rights for tribes like Pechanga. YOU SAT RIGHT NEXT TO MACARRO and looked weak and unknowlegeable on the water rights issue. GET OFF YOUR ASS.
Washburn is choosing to be ignorant, just like the other politicians that want to avoid conflict, this way he can apologize for things done under his authority without being responsible for them. Larry must have given him pointers on this. Either that or Howard Dickstein, or someone like him, is currently working on these higher ups letting them know that if they help the disenrolled in anyway he will sue the pants off them. It has got to be something like that, there just can;t be that many dishonest people in government, can there? I guess sadly there can.
ReplyDeleteFuc%en Peewee Hurman look-a-like.
ReplyDeleteNews flash pala . The 6 criminals are getting ready to dis enroll another round after they vote in some new changes in March. They are so desperate as the casino revenue can barely pay there payroll. Councilman Dion was just cut off from his over $4000.00 a month comp.at the casino. Councilman Howard had over 12 relatives at his table yesterday. And the big cheese n good ass kisser(pasture) seen holding hands getting on the elevator heading up to their private sweet.
ReplyDeleteWashburn won't and hasn't lifted a finger to help individual natives who's civil rights are being violated. He talks abut following tribal law but allows tribal leaders not to follow there own tribal laws.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes you say Pala is gonna disenroll again?
ReplyDeleteHere is another newsflash. The BIA is not bound by tribal law. It is a contrived excuse they use when they don't want to help people who are being harmed by their tribal leaders.
ReplyDeleteThe BIA is bound by Federal Law, Federal Regulations, Federal Court Decisions, and their own rules and procedures. The pretense that they must follow tribal when dealing with tribes is a smoke screen they use.
Don't believe a word of it!
Also Kevin Washburn has proven that he is a much better lawyer than a politician. His decisions are insults against Indians and Indian Country. He spends all of his time bending over backwards to please tribal leaders.
Time to end the reign of the BIA. The entire agency is corrupt. They haven't got a clue as to how to manage sovereign tribes. They let the tribal leaders walk all over them, and have zero compassion for the tribal members who get harmed.
Sending grief counselors is bullshit. Holding tribal leaders responsible for their actions and speaking out against abuses would be a step in the right direction.
Everybody ask themselves: What makes a tribal leader more important than a tribal member? They are not royalty. They are employees.
@ 2:06PM you are so right, Kevin Washburn does not want to bother with the individual Indian and the BIA just does what ever the tribal chairmen tell them. We do need to get rid of the BIA, it should be renamed BTCA, Bureau of Tribal Committees Affairs. Or Bureau of Corruption. It is sickening to see all this corruption. What does make the tribal leaders think they are better than the members? They get the suites in the Casinos, they get comped money to gamble at the Casinos, they get to use the tribal jets, they get all the perks and only let ass kissers join in once in a while. That is bullshit, isn't it the tribes Casino or is the tribal committees Casino? Looks to me like the members are a bunch of whipped Pu.....
ReplyDelete@ 2:06 PM
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head.
We need to figure out how to take out the trash. meaning the corrupt leaders of tribes.
If the courts won't help, and the Feds refuse to take action, what is there left to do.
I know that violence is not the way, but neither is being quiet and taking the bullshit from the
EC'S.
I really think that the Pala EC needs to get there asses whipped so good that they won't be able so sit down for a month of Sundays.
Theresa Nieto is the one that seems to be running the Tribe.She is either sleeping with Smith, or she has something on him.They act like they are married to each other.Everything that they do is always just the 2 of them.Smiths always says that "Me and The Treasure" are working on this and that together.Well how about the rest of the Tribe, or don't they matter anymore.I sure wish that thier "KARMA" would kick in so we can see them suffer like the ones that they wrongly dis-enrolled.
So right in so many ways. Its the "band" right to determine everything. Not any committee, at any level. In many instances the bands have been forced into illegal actions by factions who are willing to do anything and expect it to be a "internal matter." The truth is shown to anyone when asked and they clearly see the Indian Way has been lost by corrupt factions in the Band. Fix the lies and misinformation and bring back the Indian way internally. If not Karma will keep coming through.
ReplyDelete"Karma Karma Karma"
ReplyDeleteThe silent weapon,will get you both, Robert Smith, and Theresa Nieto.Take a real good look in the mirror every morning and notice the changes, because is going to make you pay. You have had ample time to do the right thing and you have choosen your path, and now its payback time.
And also remember, that "Karma" is something that you can not hide from, no matter where you go.
I can't believe that you have put your loved one in this kind of spot, because the way this works is,you will have to sit back and watch as Karma takes place through your loved ones, so you can sufer the out come for what you have imposed on innocent Native People.
As a tribal leader, I can say that not all are corrupt, and many accusers of corruption would be guilty of it if given the chance. Things are only as good as the effort put into the good. All I hear is about how much Money and perks tribal leaders get... all that says is that you are as greedy as the people you say you despise for acting out of greed and corruption... I don't think you would be any different with the attitude you have expressed.... Go look in a mirror and ask yourself if you are above the things you say you are against... you might have a hard time answering that.
ReplyDeleteAnd the rest of you... you really think BIA is our "Friend" or the Federal Governement? if you do your kidding yourself, your asking them to get in the middle of our tribes and tell us what is right and wrong.... your asking for more than you think... How bout this,, we just all agree to disband and just live as fee humans... We didn't need constitutions and Bylaws or Blood quantum or the IRA to tell us who we were... if all we do is argue now... let it all that we have pass on it's not worth this ugliness that you all continue on.
March 5, 2014 at 4:21 PM
ReplyDeleteIf your a tribal leader, act like one and treat Indians the Indian way. Don't sit there and act like its Indian to allow this to happen.
I agree with 7:32PM, if you are a good tribal leader then shout it out and help those who are being treated badly, gather with other good leaders and demand that bad leaders turn around and do good by their people, advertise your fairness to your people and let others know that yours is a fair and just system that should be a role model for other tribes to follow. Indians from other tribes will take notice and will begin to band together and grow in strength to get rid of the corrupt leaders in other tribes. If you are federally recognize then no matter what you do you are already dealing with the Federal Government, with grants, healthcare, commodities, and allotted land, and I challenge you to give all of that up on April 1, no more help at all, lower your blood degree and make sure the BIA knows that you have done this,even if they have proof that your degree is higher,if you work for the tribe walk away from your job, if you receive per-capita, offer it up to charity, if you have free health care then turn it down, if you live on your reservation then pack and move, if your family is there say goodbye to them, if your ancestors are buried there expect to not be able to visit their graves ever, in fact expect to not be welcomed back on your reservation again, starting April 1st, tell your people that you no longer want to be part of them, do absolutely nothing that has to do with your tribe and continue living that way until all of the disenrolled across the country are re-enrolled, I guarantee you will have a different opinion, and your tribe cannot let you back in and they treat you with disdain telling everyone in the tribe that you never belonged and they laugh at you for your hardship, and taunt you with names. Then comeback on this blog and complain to us, or join in the fight with us.
ReplyDelete@ March 5, 2014 at 4:21 PM
ReplyDeleteExactly right. Band together to stop dysfunction, or bury your head in the sand and ignore it.
Violent acts will not be ignored, and the pot is boiling now. The story will be told in 100 years. What's it gonna be? We ignored Apartheid or we Did not support it? The book is being written today, and is continued daily.
"When the tribe had nothing people didn't want to be part of the tribe. When it appeared the tribe might have something soon, Then it seemed like a whole bunch of people came out. This is never about money, this is about integrity of tribal citizenship here at Pechanga. If there was a corn field instead of a Casino, these challenges would have taken the same path to the same conclusion."Mark Macarro
ReplyDeleteI wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle.
Sitting Bull
Indian way??
"When the tribe had nothing people didn't want to be part of the tribe. When it appeared the tribe might have something soon, Then it seemed like a whole bunch of people came out. This is never about money, this is about integrity of tribal citizenship here at Pechanga. If there was a corn field instead of a Casino, these challenges would have taken the same path to the same conclusion."Mark Macarro
ReplyDeleteI wish it to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle.
Sitting Bull
Indian way??
Washburn is a white mans indian.
ReplyDelete