Tribal Campaign Finance Disclosure

During a principal chief candidates debate between Michell Hicks and Patrick Lambert about a year ago, Michell Hicks called for campaign finance disclosure laws. It's a great idea. In fact I called for candidates for office to voluntarily disclosure their campaign finance donations and spending in an editorial while I was still editor of the One Feather.
Only one candidate responded, and it wasn't Michell Hicks. James "Butch" Sanders, a Tribal Council candidate for Wolfetown, who didn't prevail, responded to disclose his campaign finances, which came out of his pocket.
We can research who donated to the campaigns of President Elect Barack Obama and his challenger John McCain. We can do the same for Sen. Elect Kay Hagan and her opponent Elizabeth Dole as well as for Gov. Elect Beverly Perdue and her opponent Pat McCrory, Heath Shuler, who won a second term and his challenger Carl Mumpower and every other candidate for any elected office in the state.
However, we can't research who donated to Michell Hicks or Patrick Lambert because there is no tribal law requiring such disclosure. While Hicks was asking for something perfectly right and just when he made such a suggestion, his actions don't exactly show sincerity. This is a chief who vetoed the public information law when it was passed by Tribal Council, and his veto was based upon a presumption of some people using the law for less than honorable purposes. He's argued against requiring the tribe to disclose its federal campaign donations, and he also hasn't made tribal campaign finance disclosure a priority. The purpose shouldn't matter, either its public or it isn't, and that's how it should be with campaign finance.
I have a lot of questions over the last principal chiefs' election. Were tribal funds used to finance any candidate's campaign? Did Harrah's donate to any candidates running for office? They've made other campaign donations to candidates at other levels. Would it be a stretch to suspect Harrah's could have done the same at the tribal level, particularly to keep candidates in office who wouldn't push for an end to their management contract? How will we ever know?
It's well known the motivation behind campaign donations. It's to get something in return upon the said candidates' elections to office. That certainly was tribal government's intention for the donations it made. The same can be said for any donation made to Michell Hicks or any other candidate for any elected tribal office.
Regardless of any tribal member's intention in seeking information on any tribal candidate's campaign finances, they are tribal government's constituents and have a right to know.

Upcoming Council Legislation

Got a copy of the Dec. 4 Tribal Council Agenda today. Some things have caught my eye and I have a few questions and comments.
* At 9:50 a.m. Editorial Board – submitted by Manager of Marketing & Promotions. I thought that legislation had been passed that was submitted by the director of Marketing & Promotions making the staff of the One Feather and Director of Marketing & Promotions the Editorial Board as required by the Free Press Act. When the tribe opens for business Monday, I'll inquire further. Assuming that nothing has been passed on this, my comments are, passing this legislation undermines the Free Press Act since the One Feather would be put back under the supervisory scope of the principal chief. Any hope of independence for the One Feather will be shot to hell. The other problem is it's based upon the idea that the One Feather will always be under Marketing & Promotions (a huge conflict of interest) and that whoever replaces Michell Hicks, by law, would be stuck leaving the One Feather under that division. As much as he wants it, Michell Hicks will not be chief forever. Since finding professional and ethical individuals to sit on this board that would oversee the One Feather appears to be so problematic, and since tribal government has shown no intention whatsoever of enforcing the Free Press Act, then why not just rescind the Free Press Act? It's not as though the One Feather is a real newspaper at this point anyway. How about being honest about it?
* 11:40 a.m. and 2:10 p.m. - There are two proposals from Wolfetown Rep. Susan Toineeta to have a referendum question on whether to allow the practice of brown bagging (bringing your own alcoholic beverages) in business establishments on tribal land. First of all, understand that the referendum regulations passed by Tribal Council and ratified by the chief do allow council members to introduce referendum requests through legislation, without obtaining a number of signatures. There currently is a move from individuals seeking to hold a referendum to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages in the casino, something that Toineeta has opposed. If her legislation passes, it's a slap in the face to at least nearly 1,400 voters at this point who've signed the petition, a good number of them from Toineeta's community. While Old Antioch Baptist Church Pastor Denny Crowe may praise Toineeta's proposal, that's hardly representative of the tribe as a whole, or Wolfetown for that matter. Another question is she refers to the first question on the referendum. What referendum? The chief vetoed the last referendum proposed through council legislation. And let's not change the wording on any referendum sought by those currently petitioning to make another one happen. Why this is on the agenda twice also is a complete mystery.
* Toineeta has a proposal to establish a "Charter Committee." Any ethical legal professional would tell you that the 1986 Charter is a load of horse fertilizer. It holds no water as a legal governing document in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act, of which the Eastern Band of Cherokee agreed to comply. Tribal Council in 1993 even conceded that the Charter isn't valid. Once again, I'll have to seek clarification. If Toineeta is seeking to legitimize the Charter then is a that a confession that the very document she and the rest of the tribe's elected officials, judges and justices swore oaths to uphold is invalid? Or is she seeking to further legislation introduced by then Wolfetown Rep. Carroll Crowe that sought to establish a constitution committee and possibly get that process started? In either case, such a committee should not come from Tribal Council, nor the chief. It should come from the communities. There was a time when the tribal community clubs played a larger role in the governance of our tribe. Some incredibly wise decisions have been made at that level. In fact community clubs nominated candidates for Tribal Council. It's time to go back to that, especially for an issue this important. Furthermore, a constitution/charter committee established by Council parallels a Colonial Independence Committee established by the British Parliament with the king's approval. Some of us don't feel that a council/chief-appointed committee would respect the ideals of a democratic constitution.

Reflections on Giving Thanks

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It's been a tough year for me and my family since last November. The current state of the economy has forced us into being mostly online, which in the long run will be better for us. Both my wife and I had left employment in Cherokee. My leaving was by force, but the two of us are happier despite making a lot less money.
I for one am a better person since that day.
I have a lot to be thankful for. I still have my home. I still have my family, and we're in reasonably good health. The superficial things I've learned to live without.
I'm one of those people who believes things happen for a reason, and I honestly feel that the events of a year ago, which removed me as editor of the One Feather, ultimately led to the creation of a new publication have put me in the position for a different calling. I'm actually considering putting on the helmet and coming off the sidelines. Look for it next spring.
For my fellow tribal members, sure there's a lot that gives you reason feel angry, but don't ever say things couldn't be worse because they can. Consider what you have to be thankful for, then work to change things for the better.

How to Fit In With the Hicks Administration - Commit a Crime

I didn't fit in very well with the clique that is the Hicks administration. Some could argue that it just was a clash of personalities. Hicks ran on a platform of "honesty and integrity," which implies accountability. That would mean that Hicks would've been a man I should've gotten strongly behind. However if hypocrisy is the greatest luxury, then Principal Chief Michell Hicks is living in the lap of it. His hypocrisy was the basis for much of the conflict between us.
Anyone is welcome to question my integrity, but the truth is there is no real dirt on me. Feel free to do a background search. In addition to North Carolina, I've lived in Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri and Alabama. I've been in every state east of the Mississippi River, except Rhode Island. West of the big river, I've been in Minnesota, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and California. In Canada I've been in Ontario and New Brunswick, but aside from that I've never left the United States. If you find anything other than traffic offenses, that's news to me.
Can't say the same for some of the big players with Principal Chief Michell Hicks:
* Chief Hicks himself was charged with assault on a female in 1999. Think about that next time he signs a domestic violence proclamation.
* Vice Chief Larry Blythe was charged with child abuse after striking his son with the buckle end of a belt.
* Chief Hicks Uncle Robert "Squinch" Long is a convicted sex offender. The chief appointed him to serve on the Tribal Employment Rights Office Board of Commissioners.
* Brandon Stephens, who ran unsuccessfully for County Commissioner in Jackson County, was convicted of rape in 1994. While no doubt that Stephens has done good work getting grants and other money for the tribe under three different chiefs, including Hicks, when I brought his record up at the time he was running, he accused me of using it as a smear against the chief.
* Chief Hicks ally Angie Kephart was recently charged with domestic violence after hitting her husband. The charges were dismissed.
* Big time Hicks supporter and campaiger Glenda Sanders, Kephart's mother, received probation and a suspended sentence for a misdemeanor offense in 1986.
* Deputy of Finance Charles Penick was charged with assault.
It seems if I had beaten up my wife, raped a couple of women and committed some other crimes, particularly crimes of dishonesty, I probably would've fit in just fine with this administration. I never particularly cared whether the chief liked me, and I still don't. I'm not going to cry in my sandbox because Michell Hicks won't play with me. That I'm an outcast, is something I should take as a blessing. Some would say it's a badge of honor.

On Tribal Leadership Optimism With Gov. Elect Perdue

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that the tribe is optimistic about Gov. Elect Beverly Perdue and gaming expansion talks, particularly in seeking table games. This is what Principal Chief Michell Hicks told them: "I think the difference between the current administration and Beverly is she is going to be approachable, and respectful of the tribe, and give us the opportunity to talk about the things that are important to the tribe and Western North Carolina."
Perdue is approachable. I asked her for her position on table games at an NC Press Association Convention in Asheville last summer. While mentioning work to get casino gaming in Cherokee with Gov. Jim Hunt, she wouldn't say what she'd do in this instance. Perdue remembered meeting me from my work at the Cherokee One Feather.
Perdue is a dignified and classy lady, which is what concerns me about any meeting she may have with Chief Hicks.
While Gov. Mike Easley is bullheaded and hostile, particularly to the press, there isn't much difference between him and Hicks. When Gov. Easley broke off gaming expansion talks, Chief Hicks responded with a hate-filled diatribe disguised as a press release to the area media. Leading to that blow up, Hicks had been misleading the public about how well those talks were going, and two tribal politicians, two that supported him last election, have even said that the chief was lying. When the governor questioned Chief Hicks' professionalism, the chief's response may as well have been "I know you are, but what am I?" To paraphrase, he basically said that Gov. Easley should look in the mirror. Maybe that's not a bad suggestion since the two could be mirror images of each other, particularly in ideology.
It wasn't long before that Hicks couldn't hide his admiration for Gov. Easley. In one of his pieces of PR fluff mailed out to tribal members, Hicks and his wife were pictured posing with the governor. Tribal government donated to Easley's campaign with Hicks' blessing. Hicks also had no problem with Easley campaigning behind closed doors in Cherokee.
But then came the disagreement. It's the "you're either with me or you're against me," side of Michell Hicks that I quickly got to know upon his first taking office. It's not the best side to put forth during negotiations. It sure isn't the way to win friends and influence people, and outside of voter fraud, it will cost him an election.
What Michell Hicks just doesn't get is that respect must be earned, and just because someone shows disrespect to Chief Hicks doesn't mean they disrespect the tribe. Perdue has been coming to Cherokee before getting elected governor. She's been willing to answer questions, and she has been respectful of the media. She certainly deserves our respect. I hope Chief Hicks will be professional and mature enough to show it, even in the face of disagreements because I can't imagine that even she would agree to table games with no further tribal concessions.
I hope that Chief Hicks can accomplish gaming expansion, however my gut tells me that for the tribe to ever see table games, not only will it take replacing Gov. Easley, Chief Hicks will need to be replaced as well.

With Others Cutting Costs, What is Tribal Government Doing?

Businesses aren't the only ones feeling the pinch in this economy. Local governments around us are cutting costs too. What's tribal government prepared to do?
Before the chief and vice chief sit down and discuss who they want to lose their jobs, here are some cost cutting suggestions before taking that drastic measure:
1. Stop all frivolous projects. The golf course comes to mind.
2. Actually have real, honest bidding for the necessary projects so that the much needed school construction could possibly save money.
3. Reevaluate what we spend on lobbying and campaign donations. Some of this may need to be cut out altogether.
4. Support any proposals that could actually raise revenue for the tribe.
Aside from these suggestions, should it have to come to cutting jobs, start from the top down. One glaring example is the deputy level of tribal government. Only one of those currently occupying these costly positions actually is worth the pay. Otherwise its a pointless and expensive level of bureaucracy that only serves to keep more distance between the chief and his constituents. Also how about ensuring that the tribe is getting the best for its money. Make everyone in management level and above reapply. Those who don't have the proper credentials should get their pink slips.
Better than that Tribal Council, Chief Hicks and Vice Chief Blythe, how about cutting your bloated salaries? I doubt honest polling would show that a majority of tribal members support the raises you gave yourselves, and you should never ask the employees to do what you yourselves aren't willing to do.
Tough times will call for sacrifices to be made by us all. No different should be expected of the tribe's elected officials.

Area Media Cutting Jobs

The Asheville Citizen-Times closed its Asheville printing facility sending it's printing duties to Greenville, S.C. At least 60 people are expected to be put out of work by this move. The Cherokee Times was printed by the Citizen-Times' Asheville facility. WLOS also recently laid off six workers, according to Ashvegas, who cites one of its readers.
I know all too well how tough things are. It's why the Cherokee Times has been strictly online recently, and I had to layoff workers as well, myself among them.
I can say that when times got tough, my salary was the first to go. Can Ford, GM or Chrysler's CEO say that? Can Citibank? What about Sinclair Broadcasting who owns WLOS or Gannett who owns the Citizen-Times?
I have good friends working for both the newsroom at WLOS and at the Citizen-Times. As bad as things have been for my publication, I certainly hope none of them feel the pinch or fall victim to the axe. While there does appear to be some hope for the future, it isn't likely to improve anytime soon. I certainly wish the best for them.