Oglala president defends herself from allegations
Associated Press
RAPID CITY, S.D. - The suspended president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Cecelia Fire Thunder, says she's confident she'll be cleared of complaints lodged against her and will emerge stronger than ever.
This past week, the tribal council approved a 20-day suspension for Fire Thunder because of claims she wasn't an enrolled tribal member and that she breached her power in securing a $38 million loan from the Shakopee Tribe without first getting approval.
Fire Thunder said she knew she was inheriting a huge tribal debt when she took office a year ago and that she had to borrow the money to help ease the financial troubles.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe owes millions of dollars for debts that go back to 1997, Fire Thunder said. The loan will be repaid with money from leased tribal lands, she said.
"My message to my distractors is, 'Where were you four years ago, five years ago, six years ago, and where were you two years ago?'" said Fire Thunder.
"We are finding records and we turned a bunch of records over to the Office of the Inspector General already. We turned records over already, so the federal government has in its hands tapes and records of discrepancies"
She said the charges against her are frivolous, unfounded and unsubstantiated.
Officials said a hearing will be set within 20 days so a judge can rule on the complaints.
Fire Thunder said she'll be in good shape if the allegations are cleared up because "people are starting to understand what the heck is going on."
"Being suspended is not a problem for me," she said. "It comes with the territory. As a politician, you have to make decisions, and those decisions may not sit well with your council. However, I make decisions that they may not like, and that's OK with me. That's why the people elected me."
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Oglala Sioux President Suspended
The first female president of the Oglala Sioux Nation was temporarily relieved of her duties today -- but that could become permanent. The tribal council voted today to suspend President Cecelia Fire Thunder after complaints from two tribal members and that could lead to her impeachment.
The first day of the Oglala Sioux Tribal council meeting didn't last long. Within two hours, the council voted to accept complaints filed against President Cecelia Fire Thunder.
Council Member Lydia Bearkiller said, "According to the ordinance 4126, she's immediately suspended and at 20 days a hearing will be set."
William Birdnecklace-Tate wants to impeach Fire Thunder over her decision to borrow $38,000,000.00 from a Minnesota tribe and says she wasn't a tribal member when she ran for president. Juanita Scherich filed the other complaint, accusing Fire Thunder of signing off on a project without the council's approval.
Fire Thunder said, "Yes, I was hoping that Miss Juanita Scherich would withdraw her complaints because it was a personal thing and I just felt she blew it out of the water and it was something we could have resolved."
Both Birdnecklace-Tate and Sherich refused an on camera interview with KELOLAND News.
Now, in the next 20 days, a judge will hear all sides and decide whether to dismiss or accept the complaints.
Bearkiller said, "The continuance of tribal government will continue and services. Nothing is jeopardized with accepting the complaints. Everything moves forward as usual."
Fire Thunder said, "And this is part of the process so I'm ready. I just want people to send me their prayers. That's all."
If the judge accepts the complaints, the tribal council can then decide whether to impeach Fire Thunder. Fire Thunder's confident there's no grounds to impeach her.
Thanks to Scott Barta for forwarding this report.
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Last updated on November 04, 2005