Proof that the Tribal Court is a myth

 

For years we have talked about the Tribal Court having no authority or jurisdiction, because we have no trust lands, and below is a Federal case that parallels our situation to prove it.

http://turtletalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/dct-order-granting-pi.pdf

It further goes to the heart of the challenges this administration faces with its serious issues of legitimacy.   The elections fraud, and the tribal courts role in that fraud is alarming.  Even with the membership understanding how abusive this group is…. The Tobey Cromwell administration continues to dupe some tribal members into thinking they have some redress when they clearly do not.

It continues to make fools of tribal members who file cases thinking something is going to happen. Nellie Hicks went to tribal court to make a point and she was very effective in doing so.

Tonight Cedric Tobey Cromwell and Mark Harding will make another run at the Federal Charter because it will enshrine them and allow them to be in power indefinitely. They will establish another tribe.  It is such an unpopular idea that they had dredge up ” Parables” ( Greg McKinney) to pitch the idea again.  He actually thinks he’s going to get something out of this. The approval of the Charter will literally allow Cedric and Company to  push us over the cliff.

Not a single tribal member outside the family members of these Council members and staff have benefited (unless it was Indian Health or the Environmental Department) from this administration.  The housing loans alone are outrageous, the ” Tribal Goodwill” of millions and millions of dollars to unknown people.  The $600k of monthly expenditures by the Council.  Outrageous and consistent. They are relentless about getting that pay check and spewing propaganda to the few newspapers that write about their fraudulent actions.

Say what you will about Russell  Peters or Glenn Marshall.  At least they would face you when you disagreed and cussed them out.  They were accountable to you politically and morally. If you’re a “New Jessie Baird” tribal member recently added to the rolls and don’t know what we’re talking about, that tells you about your Johnnie Come Lately status.

With these outsiders, there’s nothing like that accountability.  It’s so unconscionable the real Mashpee literally do not know how to react.  It is foreign for sure.

We will remember this dark time in our tribal journey when no one stepped up or spoke up except the Elders who were banished and abused.  True leaders are at their best when challenged and their people are in trouble.

We are being governed by an illegitimate government that has destroyed the essence of who we are. Sad.

 

 

 

CeddieLou put on a show

Uncle Herrin’,

Cedric’s Indian Circus turns out to be worse than the reports from The Pond.

Hoka Bro ! Where were the Indians?

Several Elders said it was the worst excuse for a pow wow the tribe has ever had.

No publicity, no tourists, no attendance.  No money made on the gate. In the hole $125,000.

Pow Wow during the previous administration made $10k – 25k.

Fewer Tribal members attend this year than last….only those with small children who want to dance.

Even Annawon boycotted and hung out at The Pond like everyone else.

Many, many costumed non Natives in the circle, and Grand  Entry. They outnumbered the Natives.

CeddieLou heightens the embarrassment by shouting, and chanting Native words he doesn’t even know the meaning of.

People are still talking about how he made a fool of himself, and was barking orders and changing everything.

Can’t pay the kids who worked and give them vouchers. Mark Harding was paying drummers with checks…good luck on that one eh ?

The few Canadian Natives and others looked on horrified as the chaotic circus played out.

Cheryl’s Frye Cromwell kids won top prize in their categories and so did her brother Daryl’s boy.  Such a coincidence !

The worst was the so called moccasin burn that lumped men and women together and ended up being a 40 minute non stop dance marathon Sunday night. That did not help our battered reputation.

Fights in parking lot and the torture of CeddieLou’s  epic jibber jabber.  It was pure torture.

We were spared the trauma

But there was a bright spot.  CeddieLou did not wear that God awful Buzzard Crown.

That is my report , July 8, 2010

Your Niece,

Minnie Ah Hah

Mashpee Wampanoag Private Investigator

No judicial authority…You’ve been “Hazeled”

Nellie Hicks asked tribal judge Robert Mills for two things; to see the sign in sheets for the 2009 election and to invalidate that election because of constitutional violations of the process for the resolution of the election challenge filled by Nelllie. You will recall that Nellie filed the challenge 24 hours after the election and  elections chair Patricia Keliinui dismissed it without calling together a tribunal of Elders to decide on the complain as specified in the Constitution.

The Tuesday hearing or whatever it was, lasted all of 10 minutes.  The tribal attorney was clueless and mouthed the same foolishness that Howard Cooper filed in the motion to dismiss ( that he delivered to Nellie, months ago, as though it were a ruling) saying that Nellie filed the request too late.  Of course he didn’t know that Nellie filed the request on February9, 2009, because there’s no record of that. Patricia Keliinui has no record of that, indeed.

Just like there’s no sign in sheets…no tribal court , to legitimate government, no audio tapes of hundreds of Council meetings, no land into trust, no sovereignty,  no plan for our financial security, no financial report,s no education strategy for the survival of the nation, no respect for the Elders no nothing.

Patty Oakley asked Mills. ” Where’s your judicial authority Robert? We don’t have land in trust.  You know this is bullshi-.”

The White lawyer said ” You’re quite the conversationalist.” That boy was lucky Nellie was in the room.  Patty gave him the look but not the finger.

Robert said ” I cannot compel the Council to give you the documents.”  ”  Course,” Patty said ” Course you can’t, you have no authority, plus they’ve been destroyed, if they’re not at the BIA in Nashville.”

If you’re wondering where our man Socabasen was…he was in Salem…and we’re in the ditch with an illegal government of really scary people, negotiating with the state like they’re legitimate.

Wrong David

Is that a real Indian?

Reel Wamps is making a correction to the previous post.  David Pocknett was engaged in verbal battle with CeddieLou.  It’s the annual confrontation between the two because David Pocknett cannot contain himself when Ceddie Lou starts  “Playing Indian.”   We were correct that the flair up was over  the manner in which  CeddieLou was presiding over the 151 pow wow. The F–BOMB was just a flyin‘.  Every year everyone, especially CeddieLou’s own family, the Tobeys, complain bitterly about how ” awful he is” as the MC.   And every year he puts himself front and center.

Unfortunately, the mainstream media did a poor job of showcasing the Mashpee.  On top of it all Mashpee Wampanoag learned of a new naming cerimony  and it was laid out in the paper.  You make someone a regalia, give them a hug and give them an Indian name. Great way to preserve traditional heritage eh? Wow.  Its come to this.

Out of 15 people in the photogallery of the CCT, only 2 were Mashpee.  The caption for the drummers said an Aquinnah was drumming with Mashpee Wampanoags.  That was not correct either. Oh well.  It was probably to hot to stay out  there too long.

Cedric can’t resist getting into costume

New kind of pow wow protocal

Well, CeddieLou just can’t help himself.   Earlier today, at the  151 pow wow, he was heard screaming and cursing at Pow Wow Director David Weeden….

He did his ghetto dialog at the top of his lungs in front of  tourists.  He said ” Fuc- you man ” and gave Weeden the finger.  It’s hard to get mad with DW.   But Cedric does not like to be corrected.  It is most certain that Weeden was cautioning him on his many missteps as the pow wow poo bah.  It’s not as if CeddieLou knows a damn thing about pow wow protocol.  He loves to talk about the “great Narragansett nation” and the “great Shinnecock nation.”

He has little to say  about what’s left of the Great Mashpee Wampanoag Nation.  Rode hard put away wet don’t ya know. Oh so Ghetto Cedric.  Oh so ghetto.

Oh, no, they didn’t!

A hastily scrawled note just  crossed my desk while I wasn’t looking.  Actually I had been doing crosswords and had slipped into one of those summer afternoon half-sleeping daydreams where everything is all right with the world and I am in my happy place—at least until I read this note.  Please, tell me that it is not true that Tribal Council Secretary Marie Lopez Stone (affectionately known to all as Ta-Ta) was hired as the Tribe’s Human Resources person.  Doesn’t she already get paid for being the secretary, and will she receive additional salary for the new position?  As with all of the Council’s actions these days, you have to question their motives.

My first reaction is that this is a plum, a sop to sooth a restless Marie like jam spread on the Dormouse’s nose.  On the other hand, it could be just a way for her mother Carol Lopez to control hiring, firing, and discipline.  I’m sure Carol is seething since Leigh Potter returned to the cemetery as a consultant.  Either way, can you imagine going to Marie for a job with the Tribe?  Marie herself can’t even get a job in the real world, in fact, Tribal Secretary is the first job she has had in a long time.  And she is going to judge your fitness for a job?

Heaven help us.

Restore dignity to the pow wow

 

It’s hard to find Mashpee Wampanoag at it’s own pow wow anymore.  The  beloved annual celebration has watched many of its own people stay away for a variety of reasons.  One reason is because there is no respect for Native American heritage.  Ironically the Mashpee fought for almost 4 decades to be recognized as a tribe only to have the current leadership undermine that incredible milestone. Not only do they not understand it, they have failed to respect the culture that justified the recognition.

It’s a perception thing.  And the Cromwell administration is anything but a credible representative of the Mashpee. Everything is false. And contrived because he was no idea what the Mashpee are about.  He never lived it on any level, that’s clear.

It allows non Natives  to feel as though they can put on a regalia and go to our  pow wow.  Many Non Natives have talked about putting on regalia and participating because ” they look Native .” 

They think this is a costume party and Cedric Cromwell has contributed to perception. 

Stop the costume party


Cromwell plays a significant roll parking himself center stage at the pow wow, which is not done. No tribal chairman does that but Cromwell.  He is campaigning  with the core of the tribe that is not present or accounted for.  He imports tribes that are hostile to us and have been hostile, in a literal sense for centuries. He has extremely high prize money to try to attract tribal dancers and other  Natives because our reputation for having a legitimate pow wow has disappeared.

Only one thing is certain.  The Fryes are usually in charge of dancers. And they are pretty good at handling the competition.  They should ask for tribal identification when dancers register to compete. Other pow wows do it. Real identification for Grand Entry.   They can eyeball tribal members.   But people should not be allowed to participate in our  traditional cerimonies if they are not Native. Everyone who is Native has a roll number…we all know that.  Even Cedric got one in 2006. Little late but he got it thanks to Glenn Marshall and Patty Oakley.  He didn’t know what it was…but…..

We have so many groupies and Wannabees attatched to our tribe that people know are not Native.  They always claim a tribe they know is difficult to trace them to.   We know who they are.  But that doesn’t lessen the insult.

We should not go through another year of disrespect.  No more costume parties. Hopefully the Fryes will step up.

 

Aaron Tobey reportedly suffers stroke

Mashpee Wampanoag Vice Chairman Aaron Tobey reportedly suffered a stroke earlier this week.  Monday night Cedric Cromwell informed Council members of Tobey’s hospitalization and surgery. Cromwell also commented on Tobey’s face being  paralyzed. The Mashpee Wampanoag hope for Tobey’s speedy recovery.

 

 

Time to break camp, according to Genting

It was such an astounding revelation we waited a week for someone to tell us it was not true.  But they never spoke.   It was so absolutely outrageous.  It confirmed that the Cromwell crew was totally clueless all along and was simply pimping us for Genting while they got a huge paycheck for 3 years.

Hedging its bets

Like a worn out prostitute, the tribe was rode hard and put away wet many times. Finally it was just pushed aside all used up.

As Genting was finalizing the so called casino management agreement ,  (in case it happened), the gaming giant casually mentioned that it planned to bid  for the license for Suffolk Downs.

Again, Genting plans to bid  for the license for Suffolk Downs. Even if it’s a ploy, it’s a scary one.

What does that say about the Taunton deal?  A pants load.

And they're off !

Taunton ain’t going well at all. Genting obviously is worried it’s not happening.  The recent US Supreme Court decision literally eliminates the tribes ability to get land into trust because of lawsuits. That means the state would be stupid to give a license to us because we would never get out of court to break ground.  Here’s what the Boston Globe said on June 2oth:

The US Supreme Court has thrown another obstacle in the path of the Mashpee Wampanoag and other tribes seeking to develop casinos under federal law, by expanding the number of people who can file lawsuits to challenge the tribal gambling developments. Exposing tribal projects to more litigation could cause years of delay, increase costs for developers, and potentially make financing for tribal casinos more difficult and expensive to get.

  1.        The chairman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission clearly stated that waiting 2 years or more for the tribe to get land into trust was out of the question…so the US Supreme Court decision exacerbates the problem. We already have Middleboro, KG, the Fall River, the Taunton folks and others after us.  Expect many more to sue us or rather Genting. Genting knows what’s coming .  You notice no one is suing in Tribal Court? Doesn’t exist.  No LIT.  No authority.  No enforcement power. Just a judge playing  his own cameo  as “Judge Henry.
  2.      The state has the option of giving the license to a viable gaming entity if it feels the tribe can’t get the land into trust.

But for Genting to inform the Council that  it was shopping for a license elsewhere, well now that has established a new low.

The Taunton “ Itty Bitty Casino “ is  a disaster because of the administration’s incompetence, and inability to simply execute a plan that complies withthe

"Parables" is back

law.  So, now they’re trying to revive the infamous Federal Charter.  ” Mr. Parables ” (Greg McKinney, ya him) made the pitch again Monday night.  He believes in a Cromwell Tobey Monarchy. He’s so clueless and condescending he doesn’t have time to consider how badly he’s being used.   This is an irreversible enshrinement of Cedric Tobey Cromwell, Aaron Tobey, and Mark Harding as officers for life.   They know this is the only way they can stay in power.  Essentially setting up a separate tribal government that can buy and sell land and that we could never dismantle. Oh you though we’re living that now? Actually we are. Consider this:

  • We have no idea what’s in the management agreement with Genting other than Cedric getting $10 million for admin costs ( wink wink). If the casino happens.
  • No  allotments to tribal members, no jobs, no concessions, nothing.
  • On top of it all Aaron Tobey is negotiating on behalf of the tribe.  That in itself is very telling and frightening. Why would anyone allow this?  Genting was reportedly gleeful.
  • Genting has never allowed Cedric to promise one job or one dollar to anyone publicly because they had no intention of delivering.  This is another profit driven operation for the giant that has wasted a lot of time and huge money on Cedric, Aaron and Markie’s boondoggle. Roxbury Community College did not do a good job preparing Cedric. The other two…well you know the story.
  • Obviously Genting has no confidence in the Taunton option for the reasons we’ve listed.

The Federal Charter  was killed by tribal members last fall.  It’s  back because it’s the only way the Three Wanabees stay in power. They’re bringing it up on July 10th again.  Pay close attention. Imagine having to deal with them forever.   Oh the horror.

Rode hard. Put away wet.

 

Courtin’ Nellie

After  Marita Scott, Tribal Court Clerk, (wink wink ) conducted her own tribal broadcast, she finally  made it official. You know how she loves to talk.  Telling Nellie how nice the court room is and everything.  After 6 months she mailed Nellie Hicks a letter giving her a court date for the complaint   filed challenging the 2009 election debacle that brought tragedy to the tribe. July 3, at 1pm.

Marita confirmed what she told everyone in her broadcast. That Mashpee Wampanoag attorney Robert Mills would preside over this so called 6 month delayed, 6 months brewing in the voodoo hoodoo tribal court.

No Justice in this Court

Several problems are clear.  Robert Mills would have to recuse himself for a variety of reasons.

His sister Shelly not only served on the 2008 – 2009 Election Committee, she worked the polls on the chaotic election day.

  • On election day, Shelly’s husband David Pocknett, who was the Vice Chairman at the time, challenged the very lawsuit  (filed by Yvonne Frye  Avant) that allowed the shunned  Tobeys to vote.  That decision allowing the Tobeys to vote was made by Contract Judge Rochelle Ducheneaux .  Later, in 2009 court records, Ducheneaux admitted  that she violated tribal law by allowing the Tobeys to vote, and  that her decision invalidated the election.   Ducheneaux  stated that on a real court record and hasn’t been seen since that disclosure in early summer  of 2009.
  • Robert’s brother–in-law David Pocknett, also lost a second case where the tribal court denied him access to the ballot .  That took 15 months for a decision by Judge Henry Sockbeson. And of course Pocknett was denied a place on the ballot in an election that was long gone. He was denied access to the ballot and  lost a write in effort.
  • The most glaring conflict is the fact that Robert’s father Earl Mills is actually the Chief of the tribe because Bunny resigned twice in the spring of 2008 and the Elders elected Earl Chief again. That’s all in the tribal record, The Cape Cod Times ( April 5 2009) and the Mittark. But the Tobey brigade lead by Cedric Tobey Cromwell, Aaron Tobey, Paula Peters, Yvonne and Mark Harding had to illegally resurrect Bunny to vote for a variety of illegal emergency meetings to undermine the tribe, and empower themselves. And Bunny wasn’t even the Chief while he was voting on the Council. And we all know that Bunny had no idea what was going on.
  • Bad horror story.  Yes sireeeeeeeeeee.

 

Judge Henry Sockbeson has been playing tribal court judge ever since. In between golf and speeches at Harvard, Dartmouth and such…you know, talking about tribal justice and all because no one else would do the dirty work.  Now its on Robert Mills?

Sockbeson is MIA. His reputation is at stake no doubt.

Interesting.

All these things we’ve outlined are issues that are consequential in a REAL court.  A REAL TRIBAL Court etc….

Why are legal issues against us still thrashed out in state and federal courts? Why are our ICWA issues  still handled in local courts?  Cedric, Aaron and Markie try to drag people into tribal court as a cheap PR stunt knowing  the court has no authority….because land in trust  is completely out of reach with last weeks US Supreme Court decision.  It’s a second death knell. Not good for the Taunton Itty Bitty Casino either.

The tribal court is so worthless that even when you win….nothing happens.  Ask Tah Tah.  She won with Henry Sockbeson earlier this year.  The  “ tribal court “ said the Council could not put her on administrative leave .

And nothing happened.  No enforcement. Nothing.

Off the crumbling team

Now Tah Tah wants out.  Despondent, isolated and tormented, Marie Stone is looking to get the Human Resources job and get off the Council merry go round.  Can you imagine that?  Tah Tah who sends out hundreds of angry, threatening  emails to staff and Council members…in charge of  Human Resources and staff?  More lawsuits to follow…in a real court. That means a special election to replace Tah Tah. Cedric and Mark Harding can’t have that.

Meanwhile her (former) partners and a second group are planning to replace Tah Tah on two different  election tickets.  They want Court Clerk  Marita Scott.  That girls popular ain’t she?  Best believe her aunt Yvonne Frye Avant is behind that….being that Yvonne  filed the lawsuit to allow the Tobeys to vote on election day 2009.  Course Yvonne  persuaded Judge Rochelle to throw the election in favor of Cedric, while her sisters Ca and Joanne added illegal voters (all recorded on video tape) to that voter sign in sheets ( right under Patricia Keli’inui’s nose).  These are the infamous sign in sheets  that nobody seems to be able to produce right now.  The Fryebal Council has too much at stake.  Those birds have 18 jobs out of 32 that are tribal.  No degrees GEDs or experience required of course.   Lovely group ain’t they? The absolute chaos over there never ends.

All Nellie wants is the sign in sheets. That  invalidates the 2009 election.  That’s clearly a reach. Because whether the court rules for or against the tribal community, nothing happens.  Who wants that on their conscience?

Nellie filed in the tribal court to prove that it has no authority because we do not have land in trust.  The next step comes after July 3.

Whatever the court decides….is irrelevant .

The Council will have all their White Boston lawyers with all their motions to dismiss and their billable hours  for thousands and thousands of dollars in the little room with the Natives who have their own people working against them.

Poor  pitiful Mashpee.

Poor poor pitiful Mashpee Wampanoag

No real Mashpee would pull this kind of crap.

Ghetto fabulous is ghetto fabulous all day long.