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Friday, November 14, 2003

The Sacramento Bee explains some of the trouble afflicting the Estom Yumeka Maidu Tribe of the Enterprise Rancheria. It all goes back to five council members.

In June, the five voted to remove another council member for allegedly being "unable to disagree without being disagreeable." The council member, Rickie Wilson, claims he was ousted because he pointed out that they were acting illegally.

In one case, Wilson said the five changed the tribe's constitution to prevent members with less than one-sixteenth Maidu blood from voting. In another case, they moved forward with plans to build a casino in an area the tribe doesn't have a rightful claim to, he said.

Tribal members responded to the actions by seeking to recall of the five officials. But the five suspended the 72 who signed the recall petition, claiming they were trying "to divide and separate tribal members." The suspension meant the 72 could not vote in the recall, which failed.

Now, the five have moved to disenroll the 72 people, including vice-chairman Robert Edwards, who supported the recall. Edwards has now disclosed that the FBI has issued grand jury subpoenas to the five council members. The FBI confirmed the investigation but wouldn't disclose any details.

Get the Story:
Tribe members face ouster over recall try (The Sacramento Bee 11/13)

Related Stories:
FBI investigating Enterprise Rancheria in Calif. (11/13)
Calif. tribe threatens to disenroll dissidents (09/29)

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