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[articles provided by Nita Manning. Thanks!...]

Tue, 1 Feb 2000
http://www.fox7.blackhills.com/news1.htm

Tribal Treasurer "Chuck" Jacobs suspended

Oglala Sioux Tribal President Harold Salway wants Tribal Treasurer
Wesley "Chuck" Jacobs removed from office. That's the word out of
Pine Ridge Monday after council members met in a regular session
of Tribal Council. For the past couple of weeks the Grass Roots Oyate
have occupied the Red Cloud Building in hopes of sending a strong
message to tribal officials... the removal of "Chuck" Jacobs and a
complete audit of all tribal funds. There have also been accusations
that President Salway stole $30,000... but he denies those accusations.
The tribal council suspended tribal treasurer Wesley "Chuck" Jacobs
Monday without pay... and after a 20 day waiting period an impeachment
hearing will take place. In the meantime, temporary treasurer Michael
Graham has been appointed.

Story by: Matt Broderick
 
===

Tue, 1 Feb 2000
http://www.kotatv.com/localnews/story.asp?ID=3877

Tribal treasurer suspended, occupation in 16th day

8:52:29 PM
Jack Siebold
 
The Oglala Sioux Tribe finally took action on one of the demands by
Grass Roots. They suspended Treasurer Chuck Jacobs and named
Michael Graham temporary treasurer.

The tribal council was forced to meet in Billy Mills Hall, the first time
since the January 16 takeover. That's because Grass Roots is still
in control of the tribal government building.

For more than five hours, the council squabbled about procedures,
ignoring the Grass Roots people and their demands. But finally, late
this afternoon, the council suspended Jacobs without pay, pending
a hearing on whether or not he gets to keep his job.

Council Member Ruth Brown, of the Eagle Nest District, was frustrated
at the tedious pace, "Today, this is the very first time we are given the
opportunity to sit down as a council, as a government; and deal with an
issue," she explained.

A tribal council attempt to suspend and ultimately impeach the tribal
president, Harold Salway, appears to have been stalled, for now. But
some council members are expected to revive the plan in the next day
or two.

Since Jacobs hasn't actually been fired, and no action has been taken
on other Grass Roots demands, the group says it will continue it's
occupation.
 
===

Tue, 1 Feb 2000
http://www.kotatv.com/localnews/story.asp?ID=3876

Struggle between tribal government, protesters continues

8:51:51 PM
Jack Siebold
 
When the Grass Roots group took control of the Oglala Lakota
Tribe's government building 16 days ago, they said they had the
patience to work a change in government. Today, that patience was
put to the test.

"You got to show your faith in me before we move them out of
there," Chief Oliver Red Cloud told 14 tribal council members today.
Red Cloud, the traditional Oglala chief, took the tribe's council to
the wood shed, accusing them of not caring about the people. And
when he asked the council for a show of hands, "How many of you
respect your elders," he asked; only two council members raised a
hand. "You lied to us," he accused.

Today was the first chance the council could actually do something
about the Grass Roots takeover of the tribal government building.
Protesters took the building in an effort to oust tribal treasurer Chuck
Jacobs. But instead of dealing with Grass Roots, the council opted
to ignore their demands, striking the issues from the council agenda.
Floyd Hand, a Grass Roots leader, says ultimately, now they want
the council gone. "We'll have to do it ourselves," he said.

The tribal council is pushing to impeach tribal president Harold
Salway. It is an attempt, Salway says, to take the focus off a troubled
treasurer, and the mismanagement of millions of dollars. "The old
trick of point elsewhere and get the fox hunt going in the wrong
direction," Salway explained.

Salway, and the Grass Roots protesters, accuse Jacobs of mishandling
millions of dollars. And example, they say, is the transfer of close to
$2 million of Mni Wiconi water project money, from the federal
government, to the tribe's general fund. Some protesters are concerned
that there won't be enough funds now to finish the project.

Getting the council to tackle the issues today was tough, not only for
Grass Roots, but also for some council members and people affected
by the takeover. When the council went round a circle on procedures,
Council Member Ruth Brown of the Eagle Nest District stood up. "I'm
here to deal with the issues, the tribal president, tribal treasurer and
the people occupying the Red Cloud Building," she said.

The 16-day-old occupation of the Red Cloud Building is taking it's toll
on the people and the government. Workers claim that paychecks are
late or missing. One man from Wamblee says he needs financial help
soon, just to keep warm. And the council was supposed to approve a
charter for the empowerment zone, a federal program to pump about
$10 million into the tribe's economy.

A main demand Grass Roots said had to be handled before they would
even think about leaving the building was the firing of Jacobs. Since he
is only suspended today, Grass Roots spokesman Dale Looks Twice
says the occupation will continue.
 

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