Reel Wamps

Well, we got scooped by “Rebel Wamps,” but here it is.  Enjoy…

Ouch boys ! And Melissa…adding to the Hill Bad Girl Legacy.  Minnie Ah Ha and Herrin’ and Roe have something to say about that ! Stay tuned !

Can’t take ’em nowheres can ya?

The irony is just too much.  The  US Supreme Court has recently validated a nearly $1 billion award forcing the Bureau to pay over 600 tribes for services never rendered.  Or for not paying these tribes enough for services they were owed.  This is an except from another story from BUZZFEED.com about the settlement.

Federal officials on Friday announced they had agreed to pay almost $1 billion to settle claims brought by hundreds of Native American tribes who say the government did not properly fund a number of tribal programs.

Under an agreement with the federal government, the tribes administer their own education, housing, law enforcement, and environmental management programs, among other services. But for 25 years tribes have complained that the government underfunded the programs, leading to major shortfalls.

“Deep and painful cuts were made every year,” Val Panteah, governor of Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico, told reporters at a press conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Friday.

More than 600 tribes and tribal agencies took their case to the Supreme Court in 2012, where the justices ruled the government was liable for the payments.

On Friday, after years of negotiation, tribal elders and government officials speaking in Albuquerque announced they had reached a $940 million settlement, which they have submitted to federal court for final approval.

Right — so if according to the BIA claims that we were under federal jurisdiction prior to 1934…let’s say since 1911, the government owes us at least  $15,000,000.00, and that’s conservative (averaging about $147,000.00 a year). We could use a little change right about now ey bird?

The best part of it all is that the precedent has be set by the above settlement which means a successful legal argument supporting our claim has already been made.The only catch is that the LIT ruling by the BIA has to hold up, and it’s pretty weak. In the Federal Register, there’s no explanation of how we meet the 1934 criteria.

The irony is that the same US Supreme Court ruled that the BIA could only take LIT  IF we were under federal jurisdiction and there are court challenges coming that say the BIA itself said were NEVER a federal tribe. The decision is shaky. Anyway those challenges could reverse our BIA Land in Trust action.

But those crickets are chirping and Alrinda is silent.  She’s working for Genting not us. Maybe she’s thinkin’ about filing that suit for us. Probably not.  This decision buys them time, gives the Comwellians huge

Reluctant dad, and best known for “eating off the White man’s plate” while drunk in Dino’s and other shenanigans…is the photo opt king and big time Indian.

huge raises, bonuses and benchmark raises worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.  They get to build their frequent flyer miles by flying all over the country pretending to be big shots doing God knows what.

Winnie has a long history of getting what she wants from tribal coffers…remember the broken down $17 k back hoe?

Hell, if we combined  Winnie’s $32,000.00 raise for leaving IHS and coming on as full time council member ( without a job description ) and Bobby Foster’s $30,000 raise (without a GED), we could have a real pantry for needy families and Elders to shop every week.

Think about what we could have done with the $130 m in debt that does nothing to enhance our lives.

Green eggs and ham people.

Hayward during a ceremony.  Wampanoag Nation Medicine Man John Peters is seen on the eft. Hayward and the Mashpee had a good relationship.

We should have learned from the Pequots.  But we didn’t pay attention.  About 40 years ago Skip Hayward, a Mashntucket  Pequot, rounded up his people scattered west of their Connecticut homeland, got them recognized and on their way to a better life. Skip Hayward, a real Pequot, was kicked to the curb and the outsiders took over and well the rest is well known.  Now the Pequots, who went from rags to riches are  humiliated and broke.The largest casino in the world and formally the most productive is run down empty shell of it’s former self.

Guess who their backers were? Genting. Genting feeds on greed and poverty.   Genting bought the Pequots, built the a huge casino and charged them 27% interest on hundreds of millions of dollars.  The Pequots could never catch up because the casino made less and less money each year. Genting got out…made the Pequots get a bank to buy the debt of a no longer profitable casino and built a competing casino, MGM Grand next door.  Just ruthless.

And guess what ? Genting was the poster child for the Indian Gaming Regulator Act.  IGRA was established to protect Indians from the Gentings of the world. Well Genting went about it’s business charging the Mohawks and Senecas outrageous interest rates and even came into a Council meeting with guns blazing threatening the members because they refused to pay anymore.

Well history repeats itself and when the old investors refused to pay Cedric’s crew, the lovely Mark Harding found Genting. So we pay 17% on millions and hundreds of thousands for wire transfers. No one knows what Shovel Ready Ceddie and crew did with $130 million, and Genting has pleged another $120m but after that, the Malaysians say Wells Fargo is the best bet, cause they’re out.  Sound familiar?  That’s why there’s no discussion about allotments for tribal members because the so called investor has to be paid….and the bank and on and on.

Back to another problem.  IGRA has to investigate Genting before the tribe goes forward.  Ironic, that everything comes full circle and that may be the reason for an American bank early on.

So of course Arlinda will say that’s a snap too. Sorta like SRS saying he is unaware of lawsuits on the issue we said would be a problem no matter how may footnotes Kevin Washburn listed.

And SRC would not answer the question of whether the lawsuits would stop the building of the casino.  Maybe he should ask Adam Bond. Yes, ask Adam Bond.___

So yesterday Arlinda Locklear said the BIA LIT decision for the Mashpee

Will Arlinda get us a settlement for what we are owed since 1933? Crickets again.

Wampanoag Tribe was “not bullet proof” admitting that the anticipated lawsuits could prove fatal.  Apparently a reporters questions about some of the issues we raised here were bounced off Arlinda and she responded with a walk back that was funny and a lecture about the invincibility of the  Department of Justice and the Bureau’s decision. All of a sudden the LIT decision was pretty much a done deal and that the lawsuits would have no impact.  Really? They win every one of these cases no matter what?

We know that the Department of Justice represents all federal agencies in legal disputes.  We know that the US Attorney General is the chief  law enforcement officer and lawyer  for the United States.  The AG is also is in charge of the FBI that she sends to investigate messy illegal goings on.  They do a pretty good job too.  So let’s stop with the civics lesson.

If the legal challenges are going to be dismissed or if there will be no way to interrupt the project, why would you wait 7 – 8 months to break ground? You should be able to start right after the comment period ends on October 18.  Why not since you’re so sure the courts will rule in favor of the BIA.

And for God sake have you no mercy on Cedric?  Hes been the biggest squall bag

Always squalling and reinventing our history to involve people who were no where around. And lazy reporters print that foolishness.

Oops there it is. Not a good moment for the chairman.

ever to cross the town line. And for 6 years he’s been dragging that damned shovel around  with wampum galore glued on the handle.  Why delay his euphoria any longer? Maybe it will make him stop with the bad drumming, bad regalia and even worse head dresses.

But seriously, Arlinda since you’re the spokesperson for the Tribe now and our the legal representative, are you going to file our suit against the government for its failure to pay us benefits for over 104 years? Since the Bureau says we were under their jurisdiction during that time, where’s our money for college, food, healthcare and other reparations? Where’s it at? I know, all we hear are crickets right now.

Since you got so much to say about the Justice Department and have such raptor maybe you can work something out.  We see where other tribes have gotten their back pay.

Albuquerque, NM — In a historic settlement, Native American tribes have been awarded nearly a billion dollars. The U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that a settlement was reached with 645 Native American Tribes for the sum of $940 million dollars.

The settlement stems from a 1990 lawsuit, which claimed the U.S. government failed to pay its portion of federal contracts for housing, education, law enforcement and healthcare, as well as a number of other support programs.

Ouch ! The government owes us plenty in back benefits because we never got a dime.  Again, can you help us out Arlinda?  You’re making that long money, and all we get is $35 a month from the Boston Food Bank and a couple of hams.

Herrin’– “Git ta work girl. ” Roe –“Else we’ll have ta thro you in the pon!.” Herrin–“Yaaaaa ‘n that Navajo Joe too!”

Put all that trial experience to work girl ! Ahem.  Besides Herrin’ and Roe are tired of Green Eggs and HAM.