Leaders of the Dry Creek Rancheria of California held closed-door hearings on Monday to consider the pending disenrollments of two women.

Carmen Cordova Soltanizadeh, 34, and Laila DeRouen, 29, received disenrollment notices after they decided to run for tribal leadership positions. Both women say they are being targeted for political reasons.

"It's a political thing. There's no reason I should not be qualified to run," said DeRouen told The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

Membership is traced to a 1915 roll of people who were living on the reservation. Officials say the list is reviewed every time there's an election.

Soltanizadeh and DeRouen are the daughters of former tribal leaders who were also disenrolled.

Get the Story:
Battle for control of Dry Creek Pomos (The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 1/8)

Related Stories:
Gus Pina: Dry Creek Rancheria takes membership role seriously (12/5)
Dry Creek Rancheria calls off election amid enrollment dispute (11/19)