DO THE BLACKFEET VOTERS "TRUST" THE TRIBAL COUNCIL WITH $420,000,000

Promises made are promises broken by tribal politicians. Even the corrupt Bureau of Indian Affairs had reservations about the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council "evasion" of corporate responsibilities under the tribal constitution. In 1950 the Secretary of the Interior and Solicitor, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Area Office, and Agency Superintendent met to discuss two specific questions: (1) what action can be taken by federal officials or by members of the Blackfeet Tribe to require conformity with the provisions of the Tribal Constitution and Charter? (2) what responsibility rests on the Secretary of the Interior and his representatives [BIA] to protect tribal and individual trust property against the actions of irresponsible [corrupt] tribal council members? In the first question tribal members would need convincing evidence that tribal council members had acted wrongfully, or beyond their authority in violation of specific constitution or charter provisions. Of course, tribal members have no idea of what the tribal council is doing with tribal money except for the Forensic Audit which revealed corruption throughout tribal government, and it was tossed in the trash can by the guilty tribal council members. In the second question the Solicitor ruled the trust responsibility of the Secretary of the Interior has not been diminished by adoption of the tribal constitution and charter. The Secretary of the Interior can require that all revenue from tribal sources be deposited to the credit of the Blackfeet Tribe in the United States Treasury, and thereby bring under control of Congress and the Secretary of the Interior the use of tribal funds. If we vote to accept the water compact settlement the supervisory powers of the trust responsibility of the Secretary of the Interior and Congress will be terminated. Until these supervisory powers are terminated, they remain in the Secretary and must be exercised by his office and Congressional Oversight. Blackfeet allottee trust lands water rights will be transferred to a Water Board made of tribal, federal and state officials under the water compact which means the tribal council controls all of tribal and allotted water rights, and all allotted land claims are extinguished, "forever." Do any of us have the money to pay a water attorney to defend our allotted lands against the claims of white men or the tribal council taking our water rights? The BIA report on tribal council management of tribal land and resources: "The record is discouraging at many points and unless corrective actions are taken at once the assets of the Blackfeet Tribe may be seriously depleted. Successive tribal councils have been progressively irresponsible as tribal council members have grown familiar with the technical provisions of the constitution and charter and have learned how to evade the duties imposed upon them as tribal officials." The agency, area office, central office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Secretary of the Interior failed to obtain corrective action in the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council to act in accordance with the Blackfeet Constitution and Charter. The water compact settlement gives the tribal council authority to administer our allotted water rights and tribal water rights and manage all of the $420,000,000 at the tribal office!! The Cobell Case caused a reorganization of trust management of tribal and individual trust money under the United States Treasury Department. I would suggest that we vote no on the water compact until such time as our allotted land claims are resolved and our stolen lands are returned to us with $300,000,000 in just compensation, and that our $420,000,000 is secured in the Treasury Department so that tribal council thieves can be charged in federal court for theft of tribal and individual property and money. Section 9 of the tribal charter provides that "The officers of the tribal council shall maintain accurate and complete public accounts of the financial affairs of the Tribe, and shall furnish an annual balance sheet and report of financial affairs of the Tribe to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The tribal treasurer shall keep accounts of all receipts and disbursements  and shall make written reports to the Tribal Council at every regular and special meetings." The Bureau of Indian Affairs recommended "If necessary the United States Attorney should be called for assistance." The political organization of the tribe prevents any meaningful prosecution of tribal council criminals in tribal court and what tribal judge will lock up the "President of the Blackfeet Tribe" since we will only be tribal "citizens" instead of tribal members with special treaty rights to complain to Congress? I can see the robbery of $420,000,000 by the tribal council and we will be poor, "forever." The water compact helps only tribal political families and white men. It is our decision whether to accept another century of abuse by the tribal council and white men. My recommendation is to hold tribal meetings to discuss this water compact and to put our money in the Treasury of the United States to control the spending of the tribal council; whereas we would vote on every tribal council expenditure of our water compact money in public not in the secret meetings of the tribal council. We are Blackfeet Treaty Indians and our tribal culture is to make decisions by the whole tribe, that is tribal democracy far superior to the abuse of American "citizens" by the rich one percent Americans. Let us meet and eat together like Blackfeet Indians. Bob Juneau Sr. a Blackfeet patriot