Last week Cedric Cromwell revealed a two paragraph form letter from  Department of Interior Secretary Kevin Washburn  saying the department would begin reviewing our land in trust  application for exception status. The second paragraph was the clincher because it stated that even if that extraordinary criteria were met, the Department’s authority to take the land in trust was still in question.

Translation: Back to square one. Not very assuring to anyone, let alone the Gaming Commission.

So Cedric is trying to appease the Massachusetts Gaming Commission with a form letter  to appear as though the ” Tribe is back on track. ”  This is with a letter he was sitting on for two weeks.

All the time in the world may not help Locklear help us

The bigger problem is compiling the documentation to justify exception status.  Clearly Cedric’s people don’t have it because they’re sending up SOS flares for help.  Lumbee attorney Arlinda Locklear  was hired about 5 months ago to take the lead on the exception status effort. Well she hasn’t had much luck and was forced to have an intermediary call Patty Oakley for documents and maps. Maps that she needed by last Friday and apparently couldn’t find.  Patty did not have the maps to give her. Earlier,  Locklear asked Ramona Peters for the paper work but she didn’t know what Locklear was talking about.  About 8 months ago Ramona and Jessie Baird were the designated experts on this critical task . Jessie was telling everyone  we were linked to Taunton because we traveled back and forth on the Taunton River……like every tribe in New England I suppose. Not good.  People like Jessie are problematic because they’re Chameleons who change and disguise themselves to assume different identities. Red lights flash PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Amelia Bingham reportedly ran Jessie and Paula Peters out of her yard when they were trolling for ” documents.”

This points to a bigger problem with this administration … poor leadership, bad planning and well, you know the rest.

Locklear looked like she might be able to help. She worked for over a decade for her own tribe, the Lumbee.  But she was never able to satisfy the Congress to get them recognized.  Now she’s working for the most documented tribe in the nation, and she can’t find what she needs.

Then again she’s working against tough odds.  Remember, Cedric selected the worst site in the state 5 months before the deadline and submitted an incomplete LIT application.  How can we forget the many millions spent on a disastrous Compact negotiated  by Aaron Tobey. It was dubbed the worst ever in Indian Country.

Cedric Cromwell is trying to do what the Big Ballers in Indian Country have taken a decade to achieve.  He’s been reckless with our reputation and irresponsible with  our future.

Most of us want a casino, but clearly this administration has made the the path to that goal pretty rough.

Good luck Arlinda.

Just in case the it has slipped your mind, the new building project, the Community Center, has its roots in an earlier administration.  A committee, headed up by Councilman Richard Oakley, along with Martin “Bruzzy” Hendricks, and Carlton Hendricks Jr, working with Callahan, Inc, came up with an efficient and  .attractive design for the building.

The process began in 2007, and the committee put in a lot of time trying to find a design that would fit our needs for the present and the future.  You can see the floor plans on this page (click on the picture to enlarge).

Richard and his committee made sure to present the plan to the Tribal employees for their input and approval, then to the Tribal Elders.  The plans were then presented to the Tribe at a regular Sunday meeting to roars of approval and a general feeling of great progress.  The committee went so far as to go before the Town of Mashpee with the plan, and work with Callahan to obtain funding.

Unfortunately, in 2009 Cromwell and company took over the Tribe and, as with other things, that was the end of that project.  The Community Center became the Government Center.  I hope that that subtlety of that difference is not wasted on the casual reader.  It is a question of who the building belongs to, does it not?

For reasons not to hard to figure out, the Cromwell administration changed the design of the building, and reduced its size.  Mr. Oakley was emphatic in expressing his opinion that the building is much too small for future and even present needs.

When Mr. Cromwell goes about tooting his horn about how he was singularly responsible for the new building, if it is ever completed, remember what you heard here.

Campaigns bring out the worst in people. You can always tell the ones on shaky ground.  They start spreading rumors, lying and exaggerating their life experiences and education. They start calling people and telling them not to support this one and that one.  In a small tribe like ours, every word gets back…and everyone knows who called who and who said what and ” who’s scraping the bottom of the barrel,” or  ” who’s too old” or ” whos’ a drunk ”  or “who’s got a nerve” and ” who did this” and ” who did that.”  In a small tribe there are no secrets.  But for the guy or gal running behind, it’s the only way they can get ahead of the lead candidate.  They have to attack .

So when you hear all that bad mouthing by certain candidates calling others “stupid, lazy and uneducated ,” you got to wonder if this is someone of leadership quality.  They’re busy tearing down their opponent instead of talking about what they plan to do. Its a distraction because they don’t have a plan or anyone to help us get back on track.

Then again some people think they’re anointed.  They think they don’t have to work for your vote. As one tribal member said..”They think they have birds flying outta their a–.”

Mashpee’s a tough crowd to win over…and pretty disgusted right now But they never pass up a good freebee.  And Big Brother Almighty ( Cedric ” Running Bear” Cromwell) had his shindig at Dino’s…free drinks and food all on the tribal credit card. Oh ya,  he phone banked the entire Tribe inviting them to come to his event….from 2-7.Well…it was attended by tribal staff and a very few actual members according to our reconnaissance.

We promise never to use this picture again if he promises never to wear it again.

But you would never know it to look on Facebook . BBA said  200 people attended his event. And he quoted the bible scripture in appreciation. During the 5 hour marathon, there weren’t 200 people passing through Dino’s period..so how could all of them attend his event?

Let’s be honest….Cedric is not into negative campaigning but he’s an incredible liar. Award winning.

Sometimes disaster happens.  A window is broken, a dam bursts, you have a fender bender.  In each case, you call the one who will repair the damage, a glazier, an engineer, an auto body specialist.  Pretty simple, something breaks, call the man.  What happens when an Indian Tribe is broken?  Who do you call?

Wait a minute, what do I mean by broken?  Well, glad you asked.

• The Cromwell administration has destroyed the integrity of our membership and the democratic process by packing the Tribal rolls with people not qualified for membership to insure that he has a dependable pool of friendly voters.
• The Cromwell administration has, in their haste to install their own team, stiffed vendors and investors to the tune of millions.
• The Cromwell administration has saddled our Tribe with an overwhelming debt, without any hope of a return for the Tribe.
• The Cromwell administration has alienated Tribal elders and any members with dissenting opinions, and attempted to disenfranchise and silence them.
• The Cromwell administration has arrogantly ignored the material and spiritual needs of Tribe members.
• I could go on, but you get the picture.

Given the magnitude of this disaster, who on Earth can we call to repair the damage?  May I suggest the man with the smile and handshake for all, but beholden to none; the man with the skill to set us back on the road to success, the man who will make us once again proud to proclaim  Mashpee as our name?

Poor Tribal Court.  It don’t get no respect. Ain’t got no authority.  Ain’t got no way to enforce Sockeeeebasen’s rambling  rulings.

So……if the court is real, why can’t it hear real cases ?  Even real “ civil “ cases? Right.  No authority or enforcement powers.  But Sockbasen and all the greedy lawyers continue the charade.  Sockbasen has presided over the Court of No Resort that is incapable of resolving tribal problems but spent  millions  on lawyers  laughing at us and getting rich.  After 3 ½ years of this foolishness the Judiciary Committee suddenly said they wanted authority over the court spending. They’re a little late with the guilt complex. And Harold Tobey at the helm no less. God, can you imagine?

Suddenly the court will  publish the rulings in a law review.  Who the hell cares? The decisions don’t amount to anything.  Why not publish them in the Cape Cod Times,  the Boston Globe, the Mashpee Enterprise, Playboy or run it on Comedy Central ? The state and county courts publish legal records in major newspapers. Cause the Tribal Court is a facade,a fake and a fraud.

And all that business of keeping the Indian Child Welfare Act records being sealed….well it’s all handled in state or county court anyway so what’s that mean ? It means if you want real justice you “ takeittohigha ! 

Tah Tah has filed in a Barnstable Court, Autum Banks has filed in federal court, and Cedric and his PR flack are trying to pretend he’s running a real government when it’s too late. He knows more  lawsuits are on the way.

Holding Court in the Cape Cod Times is not effective, but it’s all he’s got.  Course the Court of No Resort  tells the CCT  Nellie filed the 2009 election challenge  3 years too late. The Mashpee Enterprise and the Mittark have the documented proof of the contrary.  Nellie filed the complaint with Patricia Keliinui and Mark Tilden right after the February 8, 2009  election.  Course the whole controversy is over the Cromwell’s failure to produce the election sign in sheets.  Maintaining records of anything just ain’t their thing.  So you see the problem. No record of the letter to Patricia ” I got this” Keliinui. We do know she resigned very  shortly after she failed to follow the election ordinance and have the Elders resolve the dispute.

Try to get records of court hearings, council meetings, anything.  Oh by the way the Tribal Court ” can’t compel ” the Council to produce anything, according to Patty and Nellie.  At least that’s what  they said Judge Robert Mills said.   Maybe we can play the tape of that little courtroom dialogue.

Just kidding.