Snoqualmie Tribal Government in Constitutional Crisis; Shadow Government Attempting to Disenroll and Banish Tribal Members

SNOQUALMIE, Wash., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The honorary, non-elected Chief of the Snoqualmie people, Jerry Enick, along with a small faction of loyalists, has overthrown the Constitutionally elected Snoqualmie Indian tribal government. The Snoqualmie Indian Tribe is a federally recognized Indian tribe with 637 enrolled members as of December 31, 2006.

After months of attempting to reach an internal resolution of this tribal government crisis, the Chairman of the Tribe, Bill T Sweet is speaking out. "For the good of the Tribe and our elders, I am taking this issue public," said Chairman Sweet. "We cannot stand idly by and let the Tribe's future be hijacked by a handful of people and their non-Indian supporters."

The dispute has been ongoing since last fall, but only recently came to a head. Chairman Sweet has been barred from Tribal Council meetings since August 16, 2007, when the honorary Chief issued a decree suspending the Chairman and certain members of the Tribal Council elected at the Tribe's May 12, 2007 general meeting. In September 2007, the honorary Chief called for new elections and, at a disputed meeting, seated new tribal council members.

The Tribe's Constitution only allows for May elections and vests no power in the honorary Chief to control the government. The Chairman has not been lawfully removed from office, but has been precluded from conducting the duties of his office. Enick's move is nothing less than a coup.

The dispute boiled over last month when the Enick faction issued disenrollment letters to 40-60 tribal members, including the elected members of the Tribal Council and their families. Earlier this week, Enick's faction provided notice of an April 27, 2008 meeting where they will seek to "banish" dissenters from the Tribe's land. Enick is operating outside the law, but it unclear whether -- or how -- he can be stopped.

"We tried for months to resolve this dispute internally or through mediation," said Chairman Sweet. "Enick's group refused to meet. He had the locks changed on the Tribal offices and threatened tribal members that supported the elected government. The disenrollments and banishments go too far. The situation is deteriorating rapidly."

The Tribe does not have a court system. So, the Chairman and the other elected members of the Tribal Council turned to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs for help. However, the Bureau has refused to step in.

"The BIA Regional Director told me as recently as April 14th that I am still the Chairman," said Sweet, "but he won't put those words in writing. Then the BIA Superintendent in Everett takes actions to support the unlawful Enick group. The situation is unacceptable."

The Tribe's Casino is set to open later this fall. Chairman Sweet believes the Enick group's power grab is related to the Casino. "This is all about Casino dollars and who gets to control them." The Chairman is worried that Enick group's actions will threaten the Tribe's ability to open the Casino on time. His fears appear well-founded.

At a meeting with the Bureau in Portland, Oregon in March 2008, the Chairman learned that although he has been precluded from attending meetings, Enick's faction has been using his name to obtain Federal funding. "When we met with the Bureau last month, they showed me a grant agreement signed by the Tribal Administrator 'on behalf of Bill T Sweet as Tribal Chairman' on February 15, 2008," recounted Chairman Sweet. "I couldn't believe it -- I haven't been allowed to attend or lead meetings since August 2007, yet they are using my name without my knowledge or permission to obtain Federal dollars. Enick's shadow government is trying to have it both ways."

Despite the documents indicating irregularities to obtain Federal monies, the Bureau has not taken any action to stop the Enick faction. "The Bureau is turning a blind-eye to us," said Chairman Sweet. Without a tribal court to hold people accountable and with no action from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Enick's group realizes it can act without fear of any consequences. Chairman Sweet describes the situation as "outrageous."

"We are trying to reclaim the Snoqualmie tribal government in a manner that best meets the needs of the Snoqualmie people and to run it according to its Constitution," said Chairman Sweet. "We have no choice but to take this issue public. We have no other way to reach out to the Snoqualmie people."

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FCMN Contact:

Source: Ater Wynne LLP for Snoqualmie Indian Tribe

CONTACT: Bill T Sweet, Tribal Chairman, +1-425-271-6142, or Carolyn
Lubenau, Tribal Vice-Chairwoman, +1-425-432-6088, both of Snoqualmie Indian
Tribe; or Rob Roy Smith of Ater Wynne LLP, +1-206-623-4711, for Snoqualmie
Indian Tribe

2008-04-21 18:31:55 0341208 PRNEWSWIRE