Faith Spotted Eagle in South Dakota in November 2015. Photo by Talli Nauman / Native Sun News Today
An elder from the Yankton Sioux Tribe managed to secure one vote as the Electoral College formally selected the next president of the United States. Faith Spotted Eagle, the chair of the Ihanktonwan Treaty Steering Committee, was the choice of Robert Satiacum Jr., a member of the Puyallup Tribe who served as an elector in Washington. He refused to cast his vote for Hillary Clinton even though she won the state on November 8. “We live in perilous times. What’s it going to take to wake this country up?” Satiacum said on Monday, The Seattle Times reported. “It never should have come down to this.” Satiacum's protest did little to change the outcome of the race. Republican Donald Trump secured 304 votes, more than the 270 needed to become the 45th president. Clinton, who had been endorsed by tribal leaders across the country, had 227 votes. Spotted Eagle has been an outspoken opponent of the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline. She appeared before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights earlier this month to testify about the abuses suffered by pipeline opponents in North Dakota. "Endangering human and water security is a violation of international human rights," Spotted Eagle said before the December 9 hearing. "Our treaties are international law and are entitled to respect as such." Trump has vowed to revive the Keystone project within his first 100 days in office. He also supports Dakota Access, according to a spokesperson for the greatagain.gov transition. Trump will be inaugurated on January 20, 2017. Read More on the Story:
Meet Faith Spotted Eagle, who received one Washington state elector’s presidential vote (The Seattle Times 12/19)
Who is Washington elector's pick Faith Spotted Eagle (Seattlepi.com 12/19)
Wash. state's Electoral College votes for Clinton, Powell, Faith Spotted Eagle (KOMO 12/19)
With electoral college vote, Trump’s win is official (AP 12/19)
Revolt fizzles as Trump easily wins Electoral College vote (AP 12/20)
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