The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition to rehear a lawsuit challenging the recognition of Homer Bear Jr. as the leader of the Meskwaki Tribe of Iowa.
Bear was elected following an internal leadership dispute that had shuttered the tribe's casino.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs later recognized Bear as the legitimate leader.
A group of Meskwakis sued the BIA but the 8th Circuit ruled this past March that it couldn't get involved in an internal tribal matter even though former acting assistant secretary Aurene Martin recognized Bear and his allies as the legitimate tribal leaders without hearing from the other side.
Bear spent $1.2M to on Greenberg Traurig, Jack Abramoff's old lobbying firm. Records show Abramoff didn't represent the tribe but his associates did.
Get the Story:
Appeals court denies rehearing in Meskwaki tribe dispute
(AP 5/26)
Court Decision:
Meskwaki
Election Board v. BIA (March 3, 2006)
Related Stories:
Meskwaki Tribe election appeal dismissed by
court (03/06)
Meskwaki Tribe
ordered to reconsider critic's case (02/27)
Meskwaki members fear disenrollment from tribe
(01/27)
Meskwaki faction paid $1.2M to
Abramoff's firm (01/16)
Meskwaki Tribe
working with ex-Abramoff associate (09/07)
Meskwakis gave $50K to group founded by Norton
(04/22)
Tribe gave $75K to group founded by
Norton (03/14)
DOI investigates contacts
with group started by Norton (03/03)
Lawsuit over Meskwaki Tribe's leadership
dismissed (03/03)
Vitter denies helping
Abramoff's former client (03/02)
Report:
Former Norton organization subpoenaed (3/1)
Tribes gave $175K to group founded by Norton
(2/28)
Lawsuit over Meskwaki Tribe's
leadership dismissed (03/03)
Meskwaki
Tribe starts court to resolve internal disputes (09/06)
Rival factions of Meskwaki Tribe still feuding
(01/22)
BIA reaffirms result of Meskwaki
Tribe's election (12/19)
Meskwaki
Tribe confirms delay in casino re-opening (11/20)
Bank wants court to rule on Meskwaki Tribe's
funds (11/17)
Meskwaki voters
replace four who were recalled (11/06)
Ousted Meskwaki leader claims election is
illegal (10/28)
BIA to recognize
results of Meskwaki election (10/22)
Another vote set for Meskwaki Tribe leadership
(10/21)
Bear faction takes most
votes in Meskwaki primary (10/16)
BIA will look at two Meskwaki Tribe elections
(10/15)
Location of Meskwaki Tribe
primary in dispute (10/13)
Meskwaki
members nominate nine for recall (10/08)
Meskwaki factions still far apart on leadership
(10/3)
Confusion reigns as Meskwaki
takeover fails (10/2)
Elected
Meskwaki council tries to retake casino (10/1)
Meskwakis using federal funds to pay attorneys
(9/16)
Meskwaki casino shutdown
extended by NIGC (9/12)
Appeals
court sides with NIGC on casino shutdown (08/28)
Iowa county says it will evict Meskwaki
rivals (08/18)
DOI judge
says Meskwaki casino should reopen (08/13)
BIA calls on Meskwaki Tribe to hold recall
election (08/06)
Meskwaki factions ask court to
reopen casino (07/25)
Meskwaki factions and NIGC head to
court on casino (7/24)
Appeals court holding hearing on
Meskwaki casino (07/09)
Meskwaki dispute centers on recall
petitions (7/7)
Meskwaki
faction agrees to create election board (7/3)
Meskwaki faction votes to oust law
firm (6/27)
Meskwaki
faction says BIA agreed to election (6/23)
DOI meeting with Meskwaki Tribe
canceled (6/20)
DOI to
discuss Meskwaki leadership dispute (6/19)
Editorial: Don't interfere in tribal
affairs (6/19)
Meskwaki
faction wants to fire rival law firm (6/10)
8th Circuit court won't reopen
Meswaki casino (05/30)
8th Circuit reviewing Meskwaki
casino shutdown (5/28)
BIA won't recognize Meskwaki Tribe
election (5/27)
Federal
marshals close Meskwaki Tribe's casino (5/23)
Meskwaki voters asked to choose new
leaders (5/22)
Meskwaki
voters urged to vote for new council (5/21)
NIGC asks court to close Meskwaki
Tribe's casino (5/20)
Judge calls for receivership for
Meskwaki funds (5/19)
Meskwaki casino stays open during
leadership spat (5/15)
NIGC orders Meskwaki Tribe to close
casino (5/14)
State
threatens Meskwaki compact over dispute (5/9)
Meskwaki factions can't agree on
discussions (5/8)
Talks
between Meskwaki leaders break down (5/6)
Meskwaki Tribe works to resolve
dispute (5/5)
NIGC says
Meskwaki Tribe in violation of IGRA (5/1)
Meskwaki leadership dispute
continues (4/30)
Editorial: NIGC should interfere in
tribal dispute (04/24)
NIGC threatens to close Meskwaki
Tribe's casino (4/23)
Meskwaki leadership dispute won't
affect payroll (4/18)
Federal judge won't intervene in
Meskwaki dispute (4/16)
Meskwaki Tribe undergoing
leadership struggle (4/10)
Meskwaki tribal council removed and
replaced (03/27)
Stay Connected
Contact Us
indianz@indianz.com202 630 8439 (THEZ)
Search
Top Stories
Trending in News
1 Tribes rush to respond to new coronavirus emergency created by Trump administration
2 'At this rate the entire tribe will be extinct': Zuni Pueblo sees COVID-19 cases double as first death is confirmed
3 Arne Vainio: 'A great sickness has been visited upon us as human beings'
4 Arne Vainio: Zoongide'iwin is the Ojibwe word for courage
5 Cayuga Nation's division leads to a 'human rights catastrophe'
2 'At this rate the entire tribe will be extinct': Zuni Pueblo sees COVID-19 cases double as first death is confirmed
3 Arne Vainio: 'A great sickness has been visited upon us as human beings'
4 Arne Vainio: Zoongide'iwin is the Ojibwe word for courage
5 Cayuga Nation's division leads to a 'human rights catastrophe'
More Stories
Opinion: Native woman's power and responsibility IHS nurse receives national director's award
News Archive
2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000