"As you are aware, I am the hereditary Chief of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians and I have been working with you for more than 10 years to address the illegal and unethical actions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Pacific Regional Office as detailed in recent newspaper articles. As outlined in the Associated Press articles, the local BIA commandeered our tribe, displaced the duly elected tribal government and placed BIA staff and their relatives on our membership rolls. Because of the actions of the BIA engineered group of non or questionable Miwok persons, our Tribe has been denied much needed health, education and other Federal and State benefits to which we are entitled.

Be assured that the aforementioned allegations are true and have caused this tribe great harm."

Get the Story:
An open letter to Richard Pombo (The Amador Ledger Dispatch 3/12)

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