School House Rock Edition

In a lost edition of "School House Rock," 
n animated piece of paper explains Cherokee Blood Law

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At the last council meeting, they went all School House Rock and showed us how a bill becomes a law.  Importantly, the council decided that, since APCSJC went to federal court and made a deal that was against Cherokee Nation law, the council needed be a little more involved in these sorts of decisions from now on.

So they passed a law that puts the council in the middle of any decision in which the Cherokee Nation lets another tribe put land into trust within our jurisdiction-- which, as we pointed out, is a big deal right now because the UKB is trying to put their illegal casino into trust status and the tribal council wasn’t informed.

Attorney General Diane Hammons told the Cherokee Phoenix that she was planning on filing a protest to the application.

As speaker of the council Meredith Frailey pointed out, “This is pretty serious stuff when another tribe comes within our jurisdiction and tries to put land in trust.”

Deputy Speaker Cara Cowan-Watts took it upon herself to send the BIA a letter herself, just to make sure they knew that we are “adamantly opposed to any other tribe putting land into trust within the legal and sovereign boundaries of the Cherokee Nation.”

While Baker hasn’t commented on how tough he will be on his buddy George Wickliffe who is trying to carve out a piece of Cherokee Nation for himself and the UKB, Baker's Choctaw aide Kayln Free told the Cherokee Phoenix, “Chief Baker will always protect and defend the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation and will aggressively defend the Nation’s boundaries and any encroachment within those boundaries.”

If so, the council’s vote might be unnecessary.  But it’s not guaranteed, and it’s not a bad idea to make sure that all branches of the Cherokee Nation government involved and someone can’t singlehandedly decide to give our land away.

As some council members pointed out in committee meetings, that kind of thing used to get people killed.  In this day and age, the least our elected officials should do is to follow the lead of Cowan-Watts  and send an angry letter.

Council Members Accuse Baker of Secrecy

The UKB is trying to put their casino land into trust, and at least one council member thinks new chief Bill John Baker knew about it and didn’t tell the council.  According to news reports, the BIA sent a letter to the Cherokee Nation saying the UKB wanted to put their casino in trust, and no one knew about it until Monday night.

That made Jodie Fishinghawk pretty mad, so mad she managed to insult both Smith and Baker in 15 seconds or less.  She said, according to the Tahlequah paper, “I expected this sort of secrecy from the Chad Smith administration…Bill John, I did not expect it from you.”

This came up during the debate about the bill that would make the Cherokee Nation fight against anyone, including Baker’s inauguration buddy, UKB Chief George Wickliffe. And that no one knew about it, even though the BIA supposedly sent Baker a letter about it on November 4, and we only have 30 days to say we don’t like it.  

Dick Lay, a new council member, told the Cherokee Phoenix that “It stuns me that nobody has come to us before now with this information.  I’m just stunned and upset.”

  

The measure passed, and Baker now has to object to the UKB putting land into trust.  We wonder if that means the Baker/Wickliffe honeymoon is over. They are chiefs of different tribes, and sometimes what's good for one might be bad for another one. And no matter how Wickliffe slices it, the UKB isn't the Cherokee Nation, and Baker's job is to stick up for the Cherokee Nation, even if it makes Wickliffe and the UKB mad.

Baker’s First Council Meeting (kinda): A Matter of Trust

Tonight will be Bill John Baker’s first tribal council meeting as Principal Chief.  At the last council meeting, he voted on legislation as a member of the Tribal Council, then he ended up signing the legislation as Principal Chief.  Surely the first and hopefully the last time we have so few days between the election of a chief and the time he/she takes office.

Aside from his first state of the nation speech, addressing the council and the public, there are a couple of interesting agenda items.  One is a dividend increased proposed to specifically go towards health care, a measure Baker has been in favor of.  The other is a measure makes it illegal for the chief to allow any other tribe to use our trust land or put land into trust unless two-thirds of the council agree. 

George Wickliffe

Considering how often Baker is hugging George Wickliffe, bossman of the UKB, and how cozy Baker is with Larry E. Hawk, the assistant secretary of Bossing Indians Around (BIA), who is doing his level best to give the Cherokee Nation’s treaty rights to Wickliffe and company, who are already handing out bonuses to themselves for getting land into trust, even though they don’t actually have any, it’s probably a good thing the council is getting involved to make sure things don’t go too far.

Tonight’s tribal council meeting starts at 6 and is available online.

Watch it and tell us what you think. 

Baker Swears and Hugs, Part II

Chief Baker had his formal inauguration ceremony today at Sequoyah High School today. 

The Tulsa World said Baker’s speech “promised unity and prosperity among the Cherokees.” He also welcomed Freedmen, one of whom said of Baker: “I believe we’re going to work together and have one united front.”

Baker also teamed up with UKB Chief George Wickliffe and Eastern Band Chief Michell Hicks in a not-creepy-at-all three way man-hug.

BIA Boss Larry E. Hawk gave a speech, but we don’t know what he said.  It might’ve been something along the lines of: “As long as you do exactly what I say, you can be as sovereign as you want.”

According to the Muskogee Phoenix, some Cherokees planned a protest of Larry E. Hawk , citing his general disregard for the Cherokee Nation’s Constitution, but the protest wasn’t covered in today’s media stories. 

By all accounts, Chief Baker’s first big party was well attended, peaceful and harmonious:  a good way to begin his term. Were any of you there? If so, what were your impressions?

New Chief and First Lady, definitely not in a conga line.  Photo Courtesy Tulsa World