 |
| Robert Smith PALA |
 |
| Mark Macarro Pechanga |
Pala Chairman Robert Smith and Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro have been at the helm of their respective tribes for over two decades, amid numerous allegations of voter disenfranchisement and abuse of power. The two chairmen have maintained a stranglehold on their tribes through a combination of tactics, including the manipulation of tribal elections via the disenrollment of dissident tribal members, and the use of fear and intimidation.
Robert Smith 33 years
Mark Macarro 27 years
Saddam Hussein 24 years
Bashar al-Assad 23 years
Xi Jinping 11 years
Vladimir Putin 11 years
Idi Amin 9 years
Kim Jong Un 7 years
The Pala and Pechanga tribes, both located in Southern California, have become embroiled in a long-standing battle over tribal leadership and governance. At the center of this conflict are Smith and Macarro, who have been accused of using their positions of power to maintain control over their respective tribes and to silence any dissenting voices.
One of the primary tactics used by Smith and Macarro to maintain their power is the manipulation of tribal elections. In some cases, tribal members have reported being denied the right to vote, or having their votes invalidated. Disenrollments happened just prior to tribal elections.
The disenrollment of dissident tribal members is another tactic used by Smith and Macarro to maintain control over their tribes. In both the Pala and Pechanga tribes, tribal members who have spoken out against the chairmen or challenged their authority have been targeted for disenrollment. This practice has resulted in the removal of hundreds of Pala and Pechanga tribal members from their respective tribes, stripping them of their rights and privileges as tribal members.
Smith and Macarro have also been accused of using fear and intimidation to silence dissenting voices within their tribes. Tribal members who have spoken out against the chairmen or challenged their authority have reported receiving threats and harassment, and have even been physically threatened.
Despite the numerous allegations of voter disenfranchisement and abuse of power, Smith and Macarro have managed to stay in power for well over two decades. This is due in part to their close ties to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), which has been criticized for its inaction in response to allegations of voter disenfranchisement and other abuses of power within tribal governments.
The continued reign of Smith and Macarro has had a devastating impact on the Pala and Pechanga tribes, as well as on individual tribal members who have been disenfranchised and abused by their leaders. It is time for the BIA and other government agencies to take action and hold these chairmen accountable for their actions, and to ensure that the rights of all tribal members are protected and respected as provided for in tribal constitutions.
The stories of Pala Chairman Robert Smith and Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro are just two examples of the many instances of voter disenfranchisement and abuse of power that have plagued Native American communities across the country.
It is time for the federal government to take action to investigate and prosecute these violations of basic rights, and to ensure that the voices of all tribal members are heard and respected.
6 comments:
So Sad what the United States government allows to happen to the True Native Americans. Macarro said on National television that this is about the integrity of the tribe. I’ve known him for over 30 years and he doesn’t even know what integrity means!! Integrity means telling the truth! I’ve never seen him tell the truth about anything. People that know him know that he lies about everything! When the tribe wanted term lengths for the Tribal Council and Chairman he refused to entertain it for a vote by our tribe that’s a democracy. We’re So tired of his lies and control of our people.
Response to post above Feb 28 @ 3:59pm.
We at Pala did get term limits on the ballot around 15 years ago and it passed general membership vote. Then at our meeting the chairman had a lawyer speak to the general membership saying the vote on term limits was actually illegal and it shouldn’t have gone out for a vote due to the tribes constitution, ordinance, etc…. Can’t remember exactly other than trying to convince us there couldn’t be term limits. I still believe that’s when the chairman realized he could lose all his power, privilege, and money because of elections and started down the path of making sure that didn’t happen by pulling Pala from tribal court then 3 months later disenroll opposition votes.
RepublicansTrump and company are in such a uproar over voter fraud.Suspicious they have disappeared in action on this one! Must have their hands up the Tribe Ass’s as well!!!
Tribes are based on a democracy government. Not a dictatorship. Macarro is on record as telling the Tribal Council and the General Council that if he doesn’t like their decision he will over ride it! It’s what Dr. Johnson answered in his television interview with Colleen Williams that they do this for Power and Money!
There are two kinds of Politicians.1,The one’s that have their hands shoved up the tribe’s ASS! 2,The one’s that want to shove their hands in the tribe’s ASS!!!
This tribe has done a lot more they lied to DCF and my babymomma this year telling all us dcf violated ICWA and told us we can’t talk to DCF without them idk what they told DCF then they illegally took our kids we never went to state court so ICWA does not apply And not only does it violate the ICWA law it violates there own family code bs. So their own laws! Its a bunch of lies written and the judge is just a tribal lawyer hired by them and doesn’t even read the paperwork he said before they emailed it 5 minutes before the court date every time he hasn’t read it and just let’s them do whatever and then everybody can say anything about us but tells us we can’t do he said she said in his court. It has been unfair I’ve had no due process I denied their jurisdiction in court they laughed at me. I spoke to 2 lawyers who challenged the ICWA this year and multiple others they told me what to do. They violated many other laws my babymomma doesn’t want to do anything cause it’s her tribe but I’ve been robbed of my children and can’t see them cause her family is nuts and liars they placed my kids with her meth head mother. The caseworker has wrote so many lies also YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS IN THEIR “Court” and they have illegally stolen my children I am looking for somebody to help me
Post a Comment