Council to decide on removal actions against two District 1 representatives

Observer Staff

1/25/2005 12:00:00 AM

Two suspended Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council members who defended a former Tribal lobbyist and public affairs consultant face an Oct. 22 removal action.

District 1 Representatives Delores Jackson and Milton "Beaver" Pelcher were suspended on Oct. 1 in accordance with Article IV, Section 14(a) of the Tribal Constitution and Section 10 of Tribal Ordinance No. 19 for misconduct and dishonesty while in office. Jackson's suspension was approved by a 7-2 vote and Pelcher's 7-1. District 1 Representative Diana Quigno-Grundahl dissented on both suspensions/removal actions and Pelcher also voted against the Jackson matter.

The removal action alleged the pair sent an unauthorized letter to the lobbying firm of Greenberg Traurig on March 25.

"Your letter was not shared with or approved by the Tribal Council or Tribal chief and was an attempt to undermine the chief's authority as executive officer of the Tribe to cooperate with a federal investigation of the firm," stated Chief Audrey Falcon in the removal action notice. "Your action also delayed and obstructed the Tribe's cooperation with U.S. Sen. John McCain's investigation of this firm."

The removal action also stated the pair sent a letter as Tribal Council representatives to U.S. Sens. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Daniel Inouye of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Sept. 12.

"This letter was an effort by you to undermine the Tribe's position of cooperation with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs investigation into the Tribe's prior public relations and lobbying firm," it stated. "That in your letter, among other things, you referred to the Tribal sub-chief as a �disgruntled Tribal leader' giving the Senate committee the impression that the sub-chief was not speaking on behalf of the Tribal Council."

Jackson's removal action also included a third charge that she delivered a "statement concerning the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe" to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee during their Sept. 29 proceedings investigating former Tribal lobbyist Jack Abramoff and public affairs consultant Michael P. Scanlon.

"Your statement was presented on official Tribal letterhead and was done without prior knowledge or approval of the Tribal Council or Tribal chief," maintained the removal action notice.

Jackson said the suspension and subsequent removal action has resulted in her "First Amendment rights being squashed."

"I have the right to disagree," she stated. "I took an oath to look out for the best interest of the Tribe and its members," explained Jackson. "This includes protecting our sovereignty at all costs like our grandfathers and their grandfathers did. I didn't know there was a price tag on sovereignty."

Pelcher could not be reached for comment.