A judge in Montana blocked Big Horn County from putting a recall of sheriff Lawrence "Pete" Big Hair, a member of the Crow Tribe, on the November 4 ballot.

Judge Randal Spaulding said the recall petition was "fatally defective." He said it would be unfair to proceed against Big Hair, who accused of being incompetent, hiring unqualified people and violating a code of ethics.

Big Hair was elected in November 2006. The recall effort began after he was appeared in Crow tribal court on domestic violence charges.

Crow Chairman Chairman Carl Venne said the recall was motivated by race. "Politics in Big Horn comes down to if you're red or white," Venne told The Billings Gazette.

Get the Story:
Judge keeps Big Horn sheriff recall off ballot (The Billings Gazette 10/15)

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