Dry Creek Rancheria removes two women who filed for office

Friday, January 11, 2013  

Leaders of the Dry Creek Rancheria of California voted 3-2 on Thursday to remove two women from the rolls, The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reported.

Carmen Cordova Soltanizadeh, 34, and Laila DeRouen, 29, received disenrollment notices after they decided to run for tribal leadership positions. Both women were ousted due to “broken lineage," according to the tribe's decision.

“We've been members our entire life,” DeRouen, 29, told The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat. “There's absolutely no basis for what they've done.”

Soltanizadeh said the tribe deposited her monthly $650 per capita payment in her bank account on Thursday, then removed it. The money was restored later in the day in what will be her final payment.

Get the Story:
Disputed Dry Creek tribal members lose appeal of disenrollment (The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat 1/11)

Dry Creek Rancheria hears appeals over pending disenrollments (1/8)