Sonia Little Hawk-Weston testifies before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C, on February 3, 2016. Photo by SCIA
Wakpamni Voters Send Message
By Brandon Ecoffey
Lakota Country Times Editor
lakotacountrytimes.com PINE RIDGE -- Over the course of the last two years, the council seats belonging to the Wakpamni district have been the subject of great scrutiny. In Oglala Sioux primary elections the two incumbents took home the top two spots as voters in the district seem to remain unfazed. "I want to thank the Wakpamni District Members for voting for me. I made it to the top four and will be going to the General Election next. There is much to be done. You are all in my heart Wakpamni District," said incumbent Jacqueline Siers, who was the top vote-getter in her district. Voters in the Wakpamni District showed up October 11 at the polls to show support for the very same council representatives that they elected two years ago. Jacqueline Siers received 171 votes while Sonia Little Hawk-Weston took home 153. These two top vote getters were followed by Joni Tobacco (132), Jane Little Hawk-Rodriquez (113), Sandy Two Lance (102), Justes Wilson Richards (85), and Denver American Horse (73). In what may have been an attempt to undermine the re-election hopes of the two Wakpamni District tribal council incumbents, a newspaper article published last week that included misleading accusations about Jacqueline Siers and Sonia Little Hawk-Weston, as well as tribal president John Steele --has not deterred voters from backing them. Steele would finish second behind newcomer Troy "Scott" Weston, but if the challenge votes do not significantly change things the two will face off in the general election in November. The three incumbents found themselves to be the target of an article last week claimed that all three had been receiving improper financial benefits. The article itself, however, has received scrutiny from the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board who asserted that the newspaper who published the article had failed to do any fact-checking prior to print and President John Steele who expressed concern that the timing of the article had to do with the elections. Both Siers and Little Hawk-Weston were targeted by the tribal treasurer this past year over allegations of financial malfeasance. The charges brought by the treasurer against Siers were dismissed by the council after a brief suspension. During the same time the council also suspended Little Hawk-Weston after the treasurer's office levied charges against her. Siers would be reinstated after the council dismissed the charges, but Little Hawk-Weston would instead resign her position to prevent Wakpamni district from losing their voice on council while the political process ran its course. OST tribal treasurer Melanie Two Eagle Black Bull went to Native Sun News last week and claimed that Little Hawk-Weston had been receiving travel reimbursement checks from both the tribe and the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board. The article states "Little Hawk Weston is not the only person involved in the controversial practice she said. While investigating the report about Little Hawk Weston, Black Bull said she went to the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board and requested paper work to support the claim. In doing so, it was revealed that President John Yellow Bird Steele, James Red Willow as well as other council members were also involved..." Since the release of the article both the GPTCHB and OST President John Steele have made public comments denouncing the story. "In the October 5, 2016, issue of Native Sun News, newspaper employee Ernestine Chasing Hawk reported allegations of financial improprieties by OST leadership including double dipping for travel to GPTCHB board meetings by President John Yellowbird Steele, and Council representatives James Red Willow, Sonia Little Hawk Weston, and Jackie Sears," wrote Jerilyn Church, GPTCHB. "However, GPTCHB was never contacted by Native Sun employee Ernestine Chasing Hawk to fact check her reporting. Also, GPTCHB has never been approached by Melanie Two Eagle Black Bull to confirm expenditures incurred by GPTCHB for any OST representatives or their proxies. At no time has GPTCHB received a request to provide documentation to the OST Treasurer’s office to audit for potential discrepancies between GPTCHB’s disbursements and the tribe’s records." John Steele would take to Facebook to state that the article was inaccurate and went as far to claim that it was a deliberate attempt to undermine his reelection campaign. "Now I've come through a lot of tribal elections and know that it has become common for certain people to hurl accusations and spread gossip about some of the candidates and that's their way of discrediting people. But when that type of behavior becomes too detrimental to the Tribe, it has to be addressed," said Steele. "A recent news article was published in which myself and others were specifically accused of wrongdoing by the tribal treasurer Melanie Two Eagle-Black Bull. I will outright tell my people that she lied. I have statements to prove that she lied." Steele also said that that the quotes that were credited to him were taken out of context.
Visit the Lakota Country Times and subscribe today
"She used certain parts of statements that I made about protecting our tribal sovereignty and using them in "quotes" to insinuate that I was trying to protect wrongdoing. Again that is a lie! The tribe as a sovereign has full authority to create and enforce laws to deal with lawful matters. We have a judicial, executive and legislative system to address allegations of wrongdoing of matters that she alleges of corruption, racketeering and whatnot. If that newspaper writer was going to cite "quotes" that I made, she should've asked me, or used the full quote on why I took a stand to protect our sovereignty," wrote Steele. All three have successfully survived the primaries and will be on the ballot in November's general election. OST General Election is held in conjunction with the state and national election and is set for Tuesday, November 8. Any questions or can be directed to the OST election commission at (605) 867-2266. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at editor@lakotacountrytimes.com) Find the award-winning Lakota Country Times on the Internet, Facebook and Twitter and download the new Lakota Country Times app today.
Join the Conversation
