The Fort Belknap Indian Community of Montana says a county's appeal of a Native voting rights case proves there is continued racism against Indians.

Members of the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre tribes asked Blaine County officials not to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. But the county commission voted 2-1 last Friday to continue fighting the case.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the county's system violating Native voting rights. The county was forced to change its system and, as a result, the first Native person was elected to the commission. Dolores Plumage, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, voted against appealing the case.

The county is represented by Mountain States Legal Foundation, a conservative legal group that has fought protections for sacred sites. The Foundation formerly employed Interior Secretary Gale Norton. Rebecca Watson, one of Norton's assistant secretaries, helped defend the county in the case prior to joining the Bush administration.

Get the Story:
Tribe is angry about Blaine County appeal (The Havre Daily News 10/26)

Get the Decision:
US v. BLAINE COUNTY (April 7, 2004)

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