The political feud between the Chief Earl Old Person and Chairman Willie Sharp factions of tribal government has been a costly affair for the Blackfeet people. Federal program and contract audits for the past three years had not been done yet as of the tribal elections in July, 2014, which has caused a multi-million dollar debt for the Blackfeet people to pay off with tribal funds. Chairman Old Person pioneered the idea of replacing missing federal program and 638 contract funds with tribal dollars to avoid federal prison sentences for tribal councilmen. Chairman Old Person's "plea" was accepted by a federal judge who assessed a $3,5 million dollar bill against the tribe for missing Dept. of Labor Manpower Program funds. I was a federal programs specialist during this time in the 1970's and I witnessed the tribal chairman lie in federal court to protect tribal council corruption and even watched a council man jump out his office window at the tribal office and run away from an FBI Agent. My poor, aged mother-in-law was forced to stuff shredded checks from tribal manpower programs in the pillow cases they were sewing at the "Green Thumb" program ensnaring our elders into accessories after the fact of a federal crime. The tribal council used tribal elders for committing federal crimes and threatened to take down our elders to prison with them. What a bunch of crooks, whether a chief in buckskins or politicians in business suits; they are the cause of our poverty and what about their "campaign promises" to our kids to get them Christmas gifts? Will there be Christmas payments?
Bob Juneau Sr.
Why and where does the money come from ?
ReplyDeleteDo not know. You would have to call the Blackfeet Tribal Office for that information.
ReplyDelete