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[source: NativeNews; Fri, 18 Feb 2000 19:22:56]

RAPID  CITY  JOURNAL
Friday Februray 18
By Heidi Bell Gease

TRIBAL OFFICIALS SCUFFLE; EACH SIDE BLAMES THE OTHER

A scuffle broke out between former and current officials
of the Oglala Sioux Public Safety Department Thursday, and
one man was arrested, then released.

But which officers are former officials and which are
current is a matter of opinion.

In the tribal court's opinion, former Public Safety Director
Everett Little Whiteman is once again Director. On Thursday,
Tribal Judge Sid Witt ordered interim Public Safety Director
William " Shorty" Brewer to immediately hand over all keys,
documents and equipment to Little Whiteman.

Little Whiteman was suspended last March, reinstated July 1
and fired by the Public Safety Board July 6. Witt said the
board didn't have the authority to fire Little Whiteman.

But when Little Whiteman, his police Chief Glen Gibbons and
others went to re-enter their offices Thursday afternoon,
they were met with a termination notice from the Public
Safety Board.

There are different versions of what happened next. Little
Whiteman says Brewer's followers " physically shoved us,
grabbed us. They did hit Glen Gibbons and knocked him down,"
then handcuffed him and took him to jail.

Stanley Star Comes Out, captain of investigations under
Brewer, said Little Whiteman's group threw the termination
papers on the floor and began the scuffle. He went to help,
he said," and Glen Gibbons assaulted me from behind, tried
to choke me and throw me to the ground. And he was arrested
on that."

Later that afternoon, Witt ordered Gibbon's release.

Star Comes Out said the Public Safety Board terminated
Little Whiteman for insubordination because he didn't
exhaust administrative remedies before seeking help from the
court. He said board members disagree with the court's
ruling that they cant remove the director from office.

(Star Comes Out also said Witt is Little Whiteman's cousin
and should not have heard the case. Public Safety's attorney
has since filed a restraining order, which was granted by
Judge Vincent Brewer-----who is related to Shorty Brewer.)

Witt said Thursday that tribal police must now take orders
from Little Whiteman. And he warned that any public-safety
employees or board members who don't comply with the court
order will be found in contempt of court, which means they
could be arrested ( eventually, if not imediately) and/or
lose their jobs.

"Ive been hearing stuff that concerns me, that a lot of
people arent' complying," he said. "It appears there are a
lot of people who are just flagrantly disobeying the court's
order."

Little Whiteman said he plans to file contempt-of-court
charges today. He also has requested help from the U.S.
Attorney's Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, saying
that law enforcement officers are ignoring the court
order and have become violent. "It's simply not a tribal
dispute at this point," he said. "We need real law
enforcement to come in and enforce those court orders."

Star Comes Out said tribal police are planning a walkout
today at noon if Little Whiteman is allowed back into
office.

Meanwhile, the occupation of the Oglala Sioux Tribe's
administration building continues. It has been more than a
month since the Grassroots Oyate group took up residence to
protest what members say is a corrupt tribal government.

But although some of the group's demands have been met, a
spokesman said the occupation could extend into April.

"We're still here," group spokesman Dale Looks Twice said.
"We have a peace pipe here that is protecting us all. We're
not armed. We don't believe in violence. We just want
accountability."

Grassroots Oyate peacefully took over the Red Cloud Building
Jan.16. The group issued a list of demands, the main ones
being removal of tribal Treasurer Wesley "Chuck" Jacobs and
a complete audit of tribal accounts.

On Jan.31, the tribal council voted 12-4 to suspend Jacobs
pending a hearing, which was to be held within 20 days.

But when the meeting continued on Feb.1, a motion was made
to remove tribal President Harold Salway. Salway then
adjjourned the meeting.

The tribe doesn't  have to meet again until April, and
Salway isn't expected to call a special meeting before then.

Looks Twice said his group will stay put until April if need
be. "We'll continue to be here until they remove Chuck
Jacobs."

Meanwhile, Michael Graham is serving as acting treasurer.
Graham is also the tribe's Fifth Member, a sort of ombudsman
who watches out for the people.

The Oyate groups demand for an audit also has been met. At
the request of the tribal council executive committee,
federal agents removed financial records Jan.18.

More items were removed last week, Looks Twice said. "They
took the wrong records (the first time)."

On Feb.1, the tribal council voted to extend the audits back
five years. But BIA Superintendent Robert Ecoffey said the
BIA, which is paying for the audit, doesn't have that much
money.

"We're only auditing the 1999 general funds of the Oglala
Sioux Tribe," he said, explaining that the tribe already has
audits for 1998 and earlier that are available to the
public.

Once the BIA audit is done---that should take four to six
weeks---- it will go to the tribe.

Ecoffey emphasized that doing an audit doesn't mean there is
criminal activity. "You really can't say that until you do
an audit, and you see if anything's there," he said.

Ecoffey hopes to see the standoff resolved soon.

"It's important, I think, that the tribe and the people come
together to resolve this issue so that tribal government can
move forward," said. "I think both he tribal government and
the bureau have stepped up to resolve (the) issues."
 

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