John Blackhawk resigned as chairman of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska in April. Photo from Ho-Chunk Inc / Facebook
Four more leaders of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska were removed on Wednesday in the wake of a spending scandal that also claimed longtime chairman John Blackhawk. Since December, nearly every representative on the council resigned or was forced out after an audit questioned their spending habits. Tribal members now hope they can start fresh. “I take no pleasure in the hearings that were held today,” Keely Bassette, who pushed for the ouster of several council members, told The Lincoln Journal Star. “It was something that needed to happen so that our people can move forward and begin to heal.” The council has elected four people to replace those who were ousted. Another election will be held to fill the newly-vacated seats. The council has nine members. Throughout the crisis, there was a consistent slate of at least five members on board. Get the Story:
Winnebago council expels four members (The Lincoln Journal Star 5/14)
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