Tribal members sue for a fair 2013 election

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

By Alice C. Elwell
posted Jan 11, 2013
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal administration is under fire in a nine-person legal complaint seeking a court injunction to force the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the 2009 tribal election.

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

By By GEORGE BRENNAN
January 12, 2013 12:00 AM

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.

 

 

Six Years After: Jogging Your Memory

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.

 

 

 

 

 

More Cromwell Card Tricks

Don't Be Fooled!

Thank Heaven for Google, otherwise we may never have seen this letter from the BIA, purportedly assuring Cedric Cromwell that everything will be hunky-dory with the Tribe’s application for Land Into Trust by the end of January.  The stamp on the letter indicates that the letter was received on the 31st of December (was anybody actually working that day?), yet we only hear about it on the 13th.  Sounds to me like another bit of theatrics in the face of burgeoning opposition from the more circumspect among our members and those who just have plain old common sense.

We can break this letter down into its two main paragraphs, the first, where it says “The Office of Indian Gaming will complete its final analysis of the applicability of the initial reservation exception in January 2013.”

Clearly this says that in the month of January, they will decide whether or not the land in Taunton actually is within our territory, and can therefore even be included in the application.  Failing that test, the application is dead in the water.  Back to the end of the line for us.

The second paragraph is even less comforting, “…we continue to  review the record to develop our determination of the Secretary’s authority to acquire land for the Tribe…  We intend to finalize our analysis in early 2013.”

Even if the application clears that first hurdle, there is still that thousand pound bear in the wetu that Cedric keeps running from.  Does the BIA have the authority, in the face of Carcieri v. Salazar, to grant the Tribe LIT?  Can the BIA ignore the SCOTUS?  Does Cedric really have that “double secret” evidence that will win the day?

Ask yourselves those questions, then ask yourself, “is this just more campaign theater, with Cedric magically pulling …rabbits out of his…hat?”  Then resolve to join the ranks of those who will vote Cromwell and his cronies out of office.  Even if all this goes through, we will be much better off with a new chairman, one who will bring “transparency” (remember that word?) to Tribal operations.

Come on now……

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.

 

 

Read It For Yourselves

here is the complaint filed in Federal Court.

Complaint

http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Repairing The Damage

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?

Tah Tah’s Revenge

The Flip Flop is back !

Herrin’: “ Well Tah Tah is determined to have her way.  She just can’t help herself.”

Roe: “ What now?”

Herrin’:  Shoot, they talk about how cuckoo she is… she’s pretty smart when she wants to be. She’s been on vacation for quite a while. Just when people are trying to file their papers to run for office.

Roe: “Yah.  Richard Oakley’s been trying to put his paperwork in for a week.  He’s runnin’ for Chairman.“

Herrin’: “Who don’t know that.  He’s made it official at a meeting on December 1.”

Roe: “Maybe Tah Tah’s trying to slow him down, you know, so people can make up their minds.”

Herrin’: “Ahhhhhhh the old Flip Flop. That‘s the oldest political scam there is. It’s a lost art that has been revived.”

Roe: “ Ain’t popular though. Nobody wants to see that little round dance again. Makes me shudder.  That’s why we’re in this mess right  now.”

Herrin’: “ Yah that was a disaster of stick mound proportions.”

Roe: “ Hey fact remains Tah Tah is having her revenge. She’s runnin’ things and she’s the least qualified to do so .  She’s the keeper of the records and she can’t produce the audio minutes for any random meeting you ask for…because they ain’t  there.”

Herrin’: “Right. And ain’t she supposed to verify that you have enough  meetings to qualify to run for office? “

Lovin' those Sunday Meetings with Tah Tah

Roe: “ Exactly, but you’re relying on her “Most Random and Occasional Meeting Minutes.” And those sign in sheets are a bigger mess.”

Herrin’ ” Boo Boo Da Fool and JFK are on those sign in sheets.  At the Sunday meetings there’s never anyone watching who signs in…..That’s the Dorcester Method. Just kinda random don’t ya know.”

Roe : ” Ya she’s in charge of who get’s on the ballot and who don’t.   She told Robert Dias he didn’t have enough meetings to qualify.”

Herrin‘: “You know Boo Boo has his meetings.”

Roe: ”  Yup…Maybe Robert should qualify as JFK.

Herrin’: ” Maybe.  Tah Tah is having her way. Seems like her and Boo Boo are having a field day at Dino’s, ya know what I mean?”

Roe: ” Tah Tah’s Revenge. ”

Herrin’: “Tah Tah outsmarts us again.”

Proping up the “Court of No Resort”

It is what it is!

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.

 

 

 

Running Bear, Running Scared.

In spite of the Cromwell regime’s bumbling and fumbling of the casino ball, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission said they won’t give away the gaming license for 90 days .  The Commission will not accept commercial bids in the Southeastern Massachusetts region until Marc 15, 2013..

I have struggled to imagine what the Commission hopes to accomplish by doing so, particularly in light of the fact that every month wasted waiting for Cedric to pull a rabbit out of his hat is a month of lost revenue for the Commonwealth.  I sense that the Governor and the Commission are getting more than a little bit impatient with ol’ Running Bear and would like to be rid of him, but without the risk of seeming so.  Then it dawned on me.

March 15 is a month after the upcoming Tribal elections to be held on February 10, 2013.  Call me paranoid, but color me skeptical.  I would not put it past Cedric to campaign on the prospect that his re election will bring about a casino.  The false hope that he and his cronies have cultivated, and the debt that they have saddled us with can only result in the utter destruction of our Tribal community and all we have worked for over the years.   Don’t be fooled.  Turn Ceddie and his hench(wo)men out of office.

“Run, Ceddie, Run!”

Are we having fun yet?

3 months to do the impossible

No we are not.  Can we just say that this is not a REPRIEVE granted by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.  It is in fact a death knell  for the Cedric Cromwell Administration payroll plan. The Taunton casino is dead because the Administration cannot complete the Land in Trust, and had no intentions of doings so.

Genting will stop paying in February, reportedly.

For us it is far worse.  It means we have to rebuild the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.  It means we can no longer elect leaders who want the power and the title without the responsibility of  governance and accountability to the members. We have to have leaders who work well with others.  We need team players and team leaders.  No more go it alone, or “my way or the highway.”

Pulling this Tribe together will require the dependable leadership of men and women.  Our people have to feel comfortable with our next leader.   They have to know that he or she is actually listening to them and will actually take their concerns seriously. We are in a bad place right now. We can’t afford to put anyone in charge who is dishonest about what’s at stake.

Politics is not only local, it’s social.  You have to know and  like your leaders and feel confident  that they  have stood up for you you all along and will fight for you in the future.

And, there is no way we can get back on our feet without ever single family participating on every level.  Every single family…together. The Tribal members have to remember that they make that decision.