POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IMPOSSIBLE UNDER TRIBAL COUNCIL DICTATORS

Mobilization of tribal voters in curtailing the powers of the tribal council involves political action and organization by the people in forcing a vote on tribal constitution 'separation-of-powers' clause. The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council is denying the people a chance to vote on constitutional change and the Bureau of Indian Affairs refuses to use its trust responsibility to schedule a tribal referendum vote. That is political resistance to the massive public support of tribal members for constitutional change in the operations of tribal government and in district voting reserved to voters who live in the district, and the election of tribal judges who will have the independence to prosecute tribal council crooks. The resistance of tribal politicians and the BIA is "suspicious." In 1950 the BIA was worried that the peculations [embezzlements] of tribal council members would imperil federal officials if and when tribal assets were stolen by the council and tribal members sued the federal government for their failure to use their trust responsibility to curtail council corruption. The F.B.I. claimed it did not have jurisdiction to investigate tribal council officials. In the 1970's a very serious investigation by the Department of Labor commenced in the regional office in Denver focusing on millions of federal dollars missing and unaccounted for in federal audits of the job training funds administered by the tribal council. It was found that councilman Jim Baker was the mastermind of the criminal operation and was forcing the tribal elders in the Green Thumb program to sew the shredded tribal manpower checks into pillow cases making our elders accessories to the crimes so they would not rat out the "Baker bunch" as the gang was called by locals. I found out and alerted the F.B.I. and they raided the program and found the checks and it was all over for Mr. Baker and the tribal council who were hauled into federal court for robbing $3.2 million of federal funds. It looked bad for the tribal council, but Chairman Old Person testified in federal court that it was the way the council did business and he told the judge the tribe would pay back the missing millions of dollars. The judge told chairman Old Person that he pitied the people under his leadership and dismissed the case. In the later years the tribal council robbed the COPS program of $8,000,000 and the tribe paid the money back to the Justice Department. The Forensic Audit found corruption in nearly every tribal government program, graft is a second income for the council. It's not just losing millions of dollars either! The tribal council protects their relatives from their crimes in tribal court and it is known that chief Old Person is a serial rapist of poor Indian women for tribal checks they need to pay light bills or to feed their children and he committed incest that is not prosecuted in tribal court. Chairman Old Person's nephew was convicted in federal court for raping an infant and Chairman Old Person wrote the judge requesting leniency for his nephew. I think he is blackmailed by the BIA and white men to approve the water compact and leave out tribal members. How would we ever know about any tribal council corruption unless we break up the tribal council dictatorship? How would we ever know what they do with $425 million in the water compact? We need to know about our cash money and what is being done with it and who is taking it. Ben Franklin said, "Nothing but honey is sweeter than money" and then he robbed the Indians. The people lack the money to buy the food to feed their children. There is plenty of food in the tribal store but we have no money to purchase it. The Blackfeet Indians had plenty of money before the tribal council was forced upon us due to the success of the Blackfeet cattle industry of 500 ranchers, 25,000 cattle, and cash for all needful things. The tribal council and BIA steal our lease money too! Chief White Calf told the people the only way to handle money is to keep it in the public view at all times but we have never gotten a financial report from the council required by the constitution. I think we need a tribal 'constitutional change march' on the tribal office and BIA headquarters and get the news and internet interested in a third-world communist tribal dictatorship on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that is politically  supported by the United States Government-the Bureau of Indian Affairs-President Trump-Blackfeet tribal business council. We are an oppressed people! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached, "I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits."  Oppressed Indians march for justice too!Bob Juneau Sr.