15 Days Until the New Election-The 2011 Annual Report to the Cherokee People, What Joe Crittenden (and Baker?) Didn't Want You to See

Click here to read the "top secret"
2011 Annual Report to the Cherokee People

We got ahold of the 2011 Cherokee Nation Annual Report and it’s hard to see what the fuss was about.  It looks nice, but it’s pretty non-controversial, considering it was banned/suppressed by Acting Principal Chief S. Joe Crittenden (APCSJC).

So what’s the Cherokee Truth?  Crittenden told the Tahlequah Daily Press that the report had messages from Chad Smith and Joe Grayson in it. Crittenden is right on thing--Smith does have a message on page 4, but the report also says he was chief from 2007-2011.  On page 8, there is a big picture of Grayson, but the ‘message’ is actually a story about how the doctors at Hastings saved his life when he had heart problems.  A ringing endorsement of our health care system by a guy who’s grateful for his life is pretty standard fare.  The fact that it’s a guy who’s been deputy chief for eight years just adds to it.

The document also has the names of all the incoming council members on the back, which looks like it might be a late addition or something, but still references the future leaders.

The rest of the document, like annual reports of previous years, is a look back on the past year.  It seems that Smith, Crittenden and Baker should all be happy for people to see the good things the Cherokee Nation has done.  Afterall, they were all on the council and/or chief last year.  

It’s a mystery to us why keeping this information out of the hands of the Cherokee people is in the interests of the Cherokee people at all.  By withholding the information, it looks like Crittenden and Baker don’t want people to have knowledge about the good things their government has done in the past year.  Why is that?

It’s one thing to find fault with what the Cherokee Nation has done-- every government can do things better, Cherokee Nation no exception.  But certainly they shouldn't mind giving employees credit for their hard work once a year, and letting citizens know what is going on and how their money is spent.

So take a look for yourselves. And if you want a hard copy, send a Freedom of Information Request to APCSJC. Be sure to include your name, mailing address and that you are requesting a copy of the 2011 Annual Report to the Cherokee People, as well as a copy of the video annual report (which we've not yet seen). You can even ask for multiple copies to hand out to your friends if they too would like to see what all the fuss is about. Here's his email address: joe-crittenden@cherokee.org so you won't even need a stamp!

Election Limbo Day 48-49: The End?

Today is August 13, 2011.  The last day of the terms of office for Cherokees who were elected in 2007 but did not get re-elected this year.

That includes Chad Smith, who’s last day in office also coincides with the sad occasion of his mother’s funeral.  He sent a message to employees as he left office, at least for a few weeks.

“On Saturday my family and I will lay to rest our beloved Mother and Grandmother until we can meet together with her again. Your thoughts, prayers of support and most of all your kindness will always be a treasured memory for us, we will never forget.  I offer our sincerest thanks and immeasurable gratitude.

Finally, we have much left to do. Please be assured, when I return in the near future we will be stronger than ever with your help and dedication to make the Cherokee Nation better and continue addressing the needs of our people for the future of our children.    We as a people, a family and a government have endured, survived, prospered and excelled since time immemorial and with your help, we will continue this legacy.”

The Cherokee Nation honored its other outgoing public servants with receptions.  One for Joe Grayson, outgoing Deputy Chief who lost a race for Tribal Council and a separate one for four outgoing council members: Brad Cobb, Chris Soap, Harley Buzzard and Joe Crittenden who is moving to the executive branch as temporary Principal Chief and long-term Deputy Chief.

The Cherokee Phoenix did some good stories on these guys, and we’re borrowing some quotes from them.

Grayson, on his way out after eight years, said ““I thank all of you very much, and I want to thank every one of you for keeping the Cherokee Nation strong, for keeping our Cherokee culture alive and language alive. The Cherokee Nation is more powerful today than it ever has been, and the reason is because all of your work. You’re not doing a job; you’re building a nation and we need to keep that going.”

Cobb, leaving the council after a narrow defeat in a newly redrawn district, said

“I think it’s important to be involved. I think there are too many people that have their car tag, and that’s about it, and I think that’s sad because there’s a lot going on and things we should be proud of.”

And Crittenden, facing his last day as a council member and his first day in the executive branch, said: “I felt like sometimes you may have more effectiveness in ways at the Council House than you would in the executive office as far as dealing with people and the people’s needs to some degree. But the same time I felt like I might be able to change seemingly, the way we had been headed.  And maybe I would have the ear, if you will, or at least be able to be heard maybe more at the executive level if I was a part of that team sitting in the deputy seat.”

  

Tomorrow,  Crittenden will take the ‘deputy seat,’ at least for a few minutes.  Later, he’ll take the Chief’s seat, at least temporarily.  Anyone who is going to the inauguration, we’d appreciate information on what kind of speech or priority list Crittenden says he’ll implement while we continue election limbo for a while.  The more information you can give us, the better,  as we’ll analyze this topic as well as we can with tomorrow’s blog.