Leech Lake refuses to certify three candidates

By Molly Miron

Pioneer Editor

      CASS LAKE - An emergency meeting of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribal Executive Committee changed nothing for three Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe members denied certification as candidates in the Dec. 7 special election.

      With motions by Fond du Lac Secretary/Treasurer Kevin Dupuis and seconds by Fond du Lac Chairman Pete DeFoe, the TEC voted unanimously both to uphold the candidate eligibility requirements of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Constitution, as well as the tribal ordinance stating the individual band Reservation Business Committee decisions on candidate certification are final and not subject to appeal.

      The Leech Lake Tribal Council, also known as the Reservation Business Committee, met to certify candidates for secretary/treasurer on Aug. 23 and District I Representative on Aug. 23. The secretary/treasurer position was made vacant when the Tribal Council removed Arthur “Archie” LaRose from office July 30. District I Rep. Burton “Luke” Wilson resigned to run for the secretary/treasurer’s office.

      The Council certified 12 candidates for secretary/treasurer and eight for District I Representative.

      The Council decided that Alfred “Tig” Pemberton and James “Jim” Michaud were ineligible because they had been convicted of felonies against the tribe while previously in office. The Council members declared LaRose ineligible because he is under investigation for alleged misappropriation of tribal funds.

      LaRose appealed the decision in Leech Lake Tribal Court and Chief Judge Margaret Treuer ruled Monday that the election be put on hold until LaRose can respond to the charges of malfeasance, neglect of duty and mishandling tribal funds.

      The constitution sets three criteria for eligibility. A candidate must be 21, a member of the band in which he or she is seeking office and have one-year minimum residency on the band’s reservation. Felony convictions or investigations into conduct in office are not mentioned.

      On Thursday, LaRose, Pemberton and Michaud took their appeal to the TEC in an emergency meeting at the Palace Casino Paradise Room in Cass Lake. They protested the actions of the Tribal Council and demanded the TEC rule in their favor.

      They said tribal members can vote for them or not, but the TEC should let the people decide.

      “It’s not up to four or five people to decide our fate,” LaRose said.

      “It looks to me the Council can choose and pick who’s going to run against them,” said Pemberton.

      “If nobody’s going to follow (the constitution), don’t have it,” said Michaud.

      The gathering that filled the Paradise Room was highly partisan. The discussion was interrupted numerous times by applause for and against the three men, and comments and insults called out from the crowd.

      “We will always have people questioning the process, but we wouldn’t be leaders if we weren’t protecting the band,” said Leech Lake Chairman George Goggleye.

      “Protecting the gravy train maybe,” yelled a voice from the audience.

      This comment was followed by other voices shouting such comments as “Them three are crooks,” and “We need to go back to 1934 and go back to a traditional government.”

      Others discussed the need for constitutional reform and the authority of the tribal councils of the six sovereign Minnesota Chippewa tribes versus the authority of the TEC.

      When Goggleye explained to LaRose, Pemberton and Michaud that the Leech Lake Tribal Council would stand by the decision not to certify them as candidates, many in the audience called for the TEC to censure Leech Lake officials. But the TEC adjourned without further discussion.

      After the meeting was adjourned, LaRose said he would not give up his efforts to become a candidate for the position of secretary/treasurer left vacant by what he maintains was illegal action by the Tribal Council to remove him.

      “The only next step is federal court,” he said.