The Price of Sovereignty: Part "Tali" (That's Cherokee for "2")

In the discussion about the HUD funding being restored, we neglected one more retroactive and inaccurate statement.

While Baker was busy taking credit for selling our sovereignty for roughly $40 million pieces of silver, he also took a shot at Smith, by saying he was getting the money restored that was “withheld from the Nation and the previous administration.”

Either Baker is taking a shot at APCSJC, or he forgot that Smith wasn’t Chief when the ruling came down on August 22.

August 22 is the day that the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court issued the ruling saying the freedmen weren’t citizens any more, and threw everything sideways.  Until that happened, HUD was giving us our money.

Remember--Smith left office on August 14th, and Joe Crittenden was sworn in as Acting Principal Chief, a week before all this hit the fan.

Baker was there; he ought to know that his buddy Joe Crittenden was in office when the Supreme Court issued their ruling and got the ball rolling on this.

Not that its Crittenden’s fault… the Chief doesn’t control the timing or the content of Supreme Court decisions. That goes for Chief Smith, Chief Crittenden and now, Chief Baker.

So, if Baker wants someone to blame for HUD withholding housing funding, he really should start with HUD.  They withheld the money even though there was no law that said they should.  Or he could start with the Cherokee people, for changing the Constitution.

Baker should learn that he doesn’t necessarily look better when he tries to make Smith look worse, especially when he does so by ignoring the Truth.

8 Days before the new election: Is this Blog Post Illegal?

Some of our readers pointed to an article in the Tahlequah Daily Press the other day that deserves the attention of Cherokee Truth, and we would’ve got to it a lot faster if it weren’t for that pesky election- may-not-happen thing that came up.

The Tahlequah Daily Press (TDP) took issue with the Smith campaign for using its stories on two separate mailers, saying the mailers ‘may mislead voters’ into thinking the TDP endorses a candidate (that seems like a stretch). The TDP apparently did a story on this particular round of mailers because their name was on it.  The TDP blamed Smith for using different words in the headline than the Press originally did, and said it might violate copyright law to do so.

But, interestingly, they did NOT deny the truth to the actual stories Smith used, which said Baker and his family have been paid more than $1 million over a period of several years for work they’ve done for Cherokee Nation’s housing group, and Baker saying he didn’t think it would be a bad idea for Cherokee folks to come back home to Tahlequah to vote, even if they lived far away.  

If the TDP went so far as to get a lawyer, we’re sure they would do something if they had a good case, and since Baker did the same thing recently with a Muskogee Phoenix article, we’ll assume that either he’ll be hearing from their lawyers. But more likely, it’s a situation the TDP just didn’t like and used their printing press to make a point.

Earlier today, the Press went a little further on this subject, and you can find out more on their facebook page.

They said "We have NOT filed a lawsuit against anyone, nor have we threatened to. Do not take the word of partisan commenters looking to grind their own axes; check the courthouse records yourself! :)"

Yes, that smiley face does belong to the TDP!  TDP even says a couple of Baker folks (not Baker himself, according to an earlier post) were the ones spreading the lawsuit rumors.  Stop already!  Thank goodness there just a few days until the new election, and then everything will be over, right?   Right?

22 Days Until the New Election: Pants on Fire!

Our evening did not go according to plan.  We had a blog ready to go, until we got a phone call and had to write a new blog.  Because if there is one thing you can’t do to us here at Cherokee Truth, its call us up on the phone, act surly, and lie to us.  And that’s what happened tonight.

We got phone call(s) that said, to the best of our note taking ability: “For 12 years Chad Smith has refused to audit the casino’s finances but Bill John Baker will order an independent audit to make sure that casino money goes for services to the Cherokee people and not to line the pockets of campaign contributors and vendors.  I hope that Bill John can earn your vote in the upcoming election.”

As readers of the Cherokee Truth know, this is a lie and worse-- Baker knows it is a lie!  As we showed everyone in May, 53 Days before the June election, the Cherokee Nation and its businesses are audited every year and win awards.  Mr. Baker knows this, because the audit is not only presented to the CNB Board (of which he is an advisory member,Resolution R-52-10) but also the council’s executive and finance committee just a few months ago.

Not only are the audits for the past 10 years available online, but video footage of Baker sitting and listening to the audit being presented is also available online!

The auditor even talks about the special audit of JUST THE CASINOS, which is sent to the feds every year for compliance purposes.

There’s also the Tulsa World story that cites a national rating company for praising Cherokee Nation for its "careful and conservative governmental financial management" and for its "ability to manage cash flow issues." It goes on to tout Cherokee Nation's creation and expansion of non-gaming businesses like health care and information technology. 

To sum up:  The casinos are audited every year.  They win awards for their clean audits.  Baker knows this and lies about it anyway.  Apparently he thinks no one will notice that he’s not telling the TRUTH. He must think we’re all stupid and can’t look up readily accessible public information that shows he’s lying.

We’re sure the Cherokee Nation isn’t perfect, and Baker can certainly point out all the flaws he wants, but if he has to lie to people to create problems with the Cherokee Nation, that says more about him than it does anyone else.