At least five council members for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma have canceled their trip to president-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

Moist of the council will still attend. But Jodie Fishinghawk said she was worried about the cost of the trip.

"I'm not sure we can stay home enough times to pay for all the hemorrhaging of the money going out right now," Fishinghawk told The Tulsa World, citing expenses that tribal members consider questionable.

The tribe donated $50,000 to Obama's inaugural committee, the maximum amount. "I think that was the right decision, because Cherokees have a lot of issues in Congress, and being a part of this historic time is going to be very important to them and the Cherokee people," said former Congressman Brad Carson, a tribal member who was serving as CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses.

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Tribal leaders won't attend inauguration (The Tulsa World 1/8)

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