Is the Tribe Buying Cherokee Hardware?

The economy is in the worst shape that I've ever seen it. Jobless rates are rising. The Dow Jones has been a rollercoaster. We're probably on the verge of another depression.
The tribe doesn't operate in a vacuum. The casino's reported drop in profits is proof of that. Sooner, more likely than later, the tribe is going to have to seriously trim its budget and curtail its spending. That's why any tribal proposal to purchase any business is outrageous, especially when the price could likely be inflated and especially when a powerful elected official has ties to that business.
While I haven't seen any concrete proposals to buy Cherokee Hardware, owned by the principal chief's in-laws, it's disheartening enough that the tribe bought the land under which the business was located, whereby lease payments could've been influenced by the chief. Now it stands that the chief could influence the sale of the business to the tribe. This all comes five years after he issued an executive order requiring tribal programs to use materials from this business.
Too many questions exist before Tribal Council passes this proposal.
It's hard to believe that with all of the contracts through the Tribal Business Preference Ordinance (AKA TERO), that this business would be in financial trouble, especially with all of the potential for materials sold for construction projects. The other is if it is in finanancial trouble, why should the tribe bail it out? $3million is a lot to ask for.
What makes this particularly sickening is if the tribe is bailing out a financially troubled business, why should this one get preference? It's not as though there aren't other businesses in Cherokee struggling. This smacks of impropriety, and Tribal Council should rightfully reject it should it ever hit the floor. It also brings forth, once again, the need for the tribe to have ethics laws in place for public officials.
We'll keep you posted.