The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma barred people who attended a council meeting from using their cell phones and from taking notes, The Tahlequah Daily Press reported.

Tribal police confiscated cell phones upon entry to the meeting, the paper said. And the only person allowed to take notes was the tribal secretary.

"We apologize for the delay, but at the start of the tribal council meeting, Secretary [Joyce] Hawk collected all elected official cell phones, and Lighthorse stopped all members of the public at the door and confiscated their cell phones,” the tribe said on Facebook. “They also enforced no note-taking, all at the chief’s direction. Lighthorse stood over those trying to take personal notes.”

Last year, the tribe barred reporters from attending a council meeting. At the time, The Tahlequah Daily Press was reporting on bonuses that tribal leaders gave themselves after winning approval for a land-into-trust application.

Get the Story:
Phones seized at UKB meeting (The Tahlequah Daily Press 4/17)

Related Stories:
United Keetoowah treasurer returned land-into-trust bonus (11/10)
United Keetoowah council given bonuses over land-into-trust (11/8)