Caucus Committee member resigns prior to second election occurring

Scott Csernyik

1/3/2006 12:00:00 AM

A Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Caucus Committee clerk resigned from his position prior to the Dec. 15 special runoff election between District 1 candidates Lorna Call and Jeanette Leaureaux.

In a letter dated Dec. 6, 2004 [sic] to Tribal Council, Ronald G. Douglas stated he believed he made a mistake in agreeing to deliver the latest election protest due to Joan Myers' physical limitations.

"This was totally due to my surprise at the apparently discriminatory difference in treatment of home-bound Elders from other absentee voters," he stated. "I wish to make the strongest statement and assurance that this was not due to any preference for either candidate in the election...I told Ms. Myers that I could not assist her with any advice in preparing the protest, but reluctantly agreed to deliver it to avoid her having to find a driver to take her with her Amigo to the clerk's office.

"I did not agree to be a witness nor know that they were going to call me as a witness until the hearing. This action may cause an appearance of bias and tempt a member to protest this week's election which can be avoided by this reasonable step."

Douglas went on to state that caucus committee members discussed and recommended that he take this action [of resigning] even though they agreed that he did not violate any rules.

"I agree that the community must be free of any potential conflicts that could lead to another protest and delay," he also stated.

In Myers' protest, she stated that she is "an Elder who must have another person drive me to the voting place and remove my Amigo cart from the car at great personal effort and physical exertion."