The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday dismissed a challenge to the recognition of Homer Bear Jr. as the leader of the Meskwaki Tribe of Iowa.

The tribe's election board sued the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the BIA's recognition of Bear as the chairman. But the 8th Circuit said it didn't have jurisdiction over an internal tribal matter.

"We have characterized election disputes between competing tribal councils as nonjusticiable, intratribal matters," the unanimous decision stated.

Former acting assistant secretary Aurene Martin recognized Bear and his allies as the legitimate tribal leaders without hearing from the other side, the decision noted.

The Bear faction 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 uphold tribal suit dismissal (The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier 3/5)

Court Decision:
Meskwaki Election Board v. BIA (March 3, 2006)

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