Mashpee–The General meeting of the Mashpee Wampanoag exploded today. The membership, exhausted by the secrecy out of control spending, and rejected the Federal Charter of Incorporation and began openly signing petition against the Charter.
Cedric of Dorchester
The meeting was a nightmare for Cromwell who was having trouble fielding questions from the hostile members. The Charter also triggered a recall petition of the Cromwell administration officers who have ruled under a cloud because of the missing voter sign in sheets. The voter sign in sheets have never been produced raising questions about their two and a half year reign and the legitimacy of the 2009 election. Cromwell was accused by Tribal Elders of padding the voter list with pending voters who are illegal, in order to win election. Videos, photographs, the failure to require tribal ID’s and genealogists or tribal Elders to identify legitimate voters on the list made the process suspect.
Cromwell never produced the tribal voter sign in sheets and will not produce the audio tapes of the council actions since taking office in February 2009. This is a constitutional violation.
Council Member Laura Tobey Miranda, a cousin of Cromwell’s and Aaron Tobey’s discovered huge charge card debts for limo services and luncheons paid for by the tribe. The airport limo service was $1500 and the luncheon was $2500. Tobey Miranda has launched an exploratory effort to test the waters for a run for Chairman against her cousin Cedric. It was rumored for months that Tobey Miranda and Aaron Tobey, the tribal Vice Chairman,would run as a Tobey Ticket.
Laura has refused to sign the recall against her cousin Cedric. Nor has she discussed these charge expenditures.
Traditionalists have sent detailed documents of violations of the constitution to the BIA along with the protests against the Charter. The Recall details are also being sent because the Council ignores tribal law. The Tribal Council continues to pay a judge without authority.
