The chances of the Cromwell administration conducting a fair election seem slim. And with the jurisdictional cloud engulfing the tribal court, and it’s impossible to look there for resolution. On January 19, 2012 Nellie Hicks Ramos asked the tribal court to produce the 2009 tribal sign in sheets, which was denied by Judge Sockbasen 9 months later. In 2009, Nellie actually filed a timely complaint with Elections Chair Patrica Keliinui according to tribal law. Keliinui and Mark Tilden threw it out instead of giving it to the Elders to decide.
Tilden's a busy lawyer
By the way, someone needs to tell Sockbasen, all those multi-millionaire tribal lawyers, and Cedric, that there was no tribal court in 2009, so it couldn’t be filed there. Just Patrica K’s foolishness and Tilden’s slight of hand. Thus the trek back and forth to DC to get the Bureau to investigate. Course despite the glaring internal report done by Carlton Hendricks, Jr., in March of 2009, Cedric engaged in a cover up so Nellie and 8 other tribal members decided to try their luck in Federal Court last week.
If the Feds can get their hands on that 2009 voter sign in sheet, then they can also bring Abe Lincoln back to life. After the lawsuit was filed, a tribal staffer said the voter sign in sheets were burned. So good luck on that. But why not settle for the next best thing…a fair election. Can ” Running Bear” and crew at least pretend ?
Konflicted Kimmie Frye “Sr“
So how bad is it? Let’s start with Kimmie Frye, “Sr.” She is the Elections Committee Chair. She is Cedric Cromwell’s sister-in-law. She should not be the Elections Committee Chair because she is Cedric’s sister-in-law. It’s basic ethical principle. About a month ago Mark Tilden and Kimmie Frye ” Sr” tried unsuccessfully to illegally change the election ordinance to make it easier for the new Casino Stalkers to vote.
Our tribal government is just not credible. It’s the “Running Bear” sitcom staring Cedric Cromwell, Aaron Tobey, Mark Harding, Marie “Tah Tah” Stone, produced and directed by Yvonne Frye Avant, Screen Play; Mark Tilden, props, phoney education credentials, bogus awards and a never ending stream of embarrassing inappropriate displays of drunken debauchery and brawling….by You Know Who. Sitcom has received very pour reviews.
Anyway here are excepts from some of the stories that give you the gist of the suit.
Excerpts from THE TAUNTON GAZETTE:
Complaint claims fraud in 2009 Wampanoag tribal vote
On Friday, tribe members Paul Mills, Nellie Ramos, Curtis Hendricks, George Bingham, Nathaniel J. Tobey, Lawrence Tobey, Jr., Patricia Oakley, Francis Fermino and Leigh Potter petitioned the U.S. District Court in Boston to require the BIA to investigate their complaints.
The group says for almost four years, it has been asking the BIA to step in and investigate claims of voter fraud in the 2009 tribal election. In 2011, they said they appealed to the Department of Interior to oust Cromwell and appoint a provisional government.
“They’ve pretty much been ignoring our complaints,” said Mills, one of the nine who signed onto the complaint, and former chairman of the judiciary committee that set up the Mashpee’s court system.
Excerpts from SOUTHCOAST TODAY
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe sues for election oversight
Nine members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe want a federal judge to order the Bureau of Indian Affairs to investigate allegations of fraud in the 2009 tribal election that swept Cedric Cromwell into office.
In court documents filed Friday, the tribe members allege that a tribal judge allowed four tribe members who had been shunned back on to the rolls without having the jurisdiction to take that action. They also allege voting improprieties during the election that include members failing to produce tribal IDs.
Tribe members are hoping the bureau will step in to oversee next month’s election in which Cromwell will seek re-election, Pollini said. The slate of candidates for the Feb. 10 will be finalized at a tribal meeting Sunday.
“It’s an action to compel the BIA to fulfill its responsibilities,” he said.
Nedra Darling, a spokeswoman for the bureau, did not return calls seeking comment.
Ramos did file suit in tribal court, but was not satisfied with the outcome, Pollini said.
In a statement, Pollini said tribal elders have traveled to Washington, D.C., on three occasions seeking intervention by the bureau. The tribe members involved in the suit also “alleged constitutional violations by the current administration, including failure to present a budget for tribal approval for three consecutive years,” according to the statement.
They also allege that Cromwell’s administration has gotten the tribe into $47 million debt with “no tangible benefit to the estimated 2,000 legitimate tribe members.”
Cromwell, who is leading the tribe’s effort to build a $500 million Indian casino in Taunton, could not be reached for comment.
