{"id":25155,"date":"2022-06-13T22:14:59","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T02:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=25155"},"modified":"2022-06-13T22:15:00","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T02:15:00","slug":"chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-brings-transparency-to-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/06\/13\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-brings-transparency-to-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation brings transparency to elections"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fb-video\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/videos\/672181963852013\/\" data-width=\"auto\" data-show-text=\"false\"><blockquote cite=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/videos\/672181963852013\/\" class=\"fb-xfbml-parse-ignore\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/videos\/672181963852013\/\"><\/a><p>Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. officially signed Monday a law to reform the tribe\u2019s election code which included strong provisions to prevent dark money from coming into tribal elections.\r\n\r\nUnder the reforms, any \u201cperson or entity\u201d involved in making independent expenditures is subject to criminal sanctions, including up to two years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine and civil penalties of up to $500,000.<\/p>Posted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\">Cherokee Nation<\/a> on Tuesday, May 24, 2022<\/blockquote><\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Cherokee Nation: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/videos\/672181963852013\/\">Election Reform<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">Ending \u201cDark Money\u201d in Cherokee Elections<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Monday, June 13, 2022<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. <A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\"><I aria-hidden=true class=\"fab fa-twitter\"><\/I><\/A><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Cherokee Nation<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source-links\"><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/\">cherokee.org<\/A><\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nDark money corrupts. Democracy dies in the dark. But, the sovereign government of the Cherokee Nation Reservation is fighting back with recent <a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/946-chief-hoskin-signs-cherokee-election-law-reforms-to-further-prohibit-dark-money-in-tribal-politics>election law reforms that demand transparency<\/a>.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nLet us start with the facts: Our longstanding election laws require transparency and accountability with respect to campaign donations. Donation limits, mandatory disclosure and prohibition against \u201cindependent expenditures\u201d are all hedges against corruption embedded in Cherokee law. I believe our campaign finance laws were among the strongest in the country even before the latest reforms.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nBut, the 2019 election exposed some weaknesses in our laws. It is true that a candidate in 2019 was disqualified for illegally coordinating with an illegal entity operated by non-Indians out of Oklahoma City. Public hearings, including by our Supreme Court, disclosed this attempt to cheat and to steal an election by a group called \u201cCherokees for Change.\u201d The law held one lawbreaker accountable. However, the law left many involved in the illegal scheme unscathed.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nThe law did not hold accountable the people who funneled an unknown amount of money into the election. We may never know the full extent of the corruption, who made donations and what they hoped to gain from their scheme. Perhaps these same outside interests are regrouping to again try to buy our elections. Perhaps others are circling the Cherokee Nation with the same plans.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/06\/13\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-brings-transparency-to-elections\/cherokeenation-39\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-25159\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"985\" data-attachment-id=\"25159\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/06\/13\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-brings-transparency-to-elections\/cherokeenation-39\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/14\/CherokeeNation.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1280,985\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Cherokee Nation\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Cherokee Nation&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. officially signed a law to reform the tribe\u2019s election code following a community meeting for Councilors E.O. Smith and Mike Dobbins in Warner, Oklahoma, on  May 23, 2022. Seated, from left: Council Speaker Mike Shambaugh, Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, Principal Chief Hoskin, Chief of Staff Corey Bunch. Back row, from left: Councilors Mike Dobbins, Candessa Tehee, and E.O. Smith. Photo: &lt;a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/946-chief-hoskin-signs-cherokee-election-law-reforms-to-further-prohibit-dark-money-in-tribal-politics&gt;Anadisgoi \/ Cherokee Nation&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/14\/CherokeeNation-1024x788.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/14\/CherokeeNation.jpg\" alt=\"Cherokee Nation\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-25159\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. officially signed a law to reform the tribe\u2019s election code following a community meeting for Councilors E.O. Smith and Mike Dobbins in Warner, Oklahoma, on  May 23, 2022. Seated, from left: Council Speaker Mike Shambaugh, Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, Principal Chief Hoskin, Chief of Staff Corey Bunch. Back row, from left: Councilors Mike Dobbins, Candessa Tehee, and E.O. Smith. Photo: <a href=https:\/\/anadisgoi.com\/index.php\/government-stories\/946-chief-hoskin-signs-cherokee-election-law-reforms-to-further-prohibit-dark-money-in-tribal-politics>Anadisgoi \/ Cherokee Nation<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <p><\/p>\r\n \r\nThe Council of the Cherokee Nation recently took action after literally years of careful review of our election code. I proposed, and the council enacted, the country\u2019s strongest ban on dark money. The law passed 15-0, with two councilors absent. Deputy Speaker Victoria Vazquez said she sponsored the legislation so that \u201cpeople, not outside corporate interests, control our democracy.\u201d She is spot on. \r\n <p><\/p>\r\nI proudly signed the reforms into law earlier this month alongside Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. The law reinforces the ban on the kind of anonymous and unlimited piles of cash that illegally poured into our 2019 elections from Oklahoma City. But, the law now punishes those who donate to these illegal entities with stiff criminal and civil penalties. \r\n <p><\/p>\r\nAs Council Speaker Mike Shambaugh said, \u201cThe message we are sending today is that this is not 2019; you won\u2019t get away with corruption.\u201d\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nThe ban on dark money is a true exercise of our tribal sovereignty and a win for government transparency. While other nations may be content with unlimited, unregulated, anonymous campaign contributions, the Cherokee Nation is not. Sixteen of 17 council members expressed support for this basic idea: The Cherokee people deserve to know who is contributing to candidates for public office.\r\n <p><\/p><div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div><p><\/p>\r\nAs I reflect on our Nation\u2019s bold stand against corruption, my thoughts turn to the current election campaigns in Oklahoma. Recently, I pushed back on politicians in Oklahoma who are claiming Cherokee sovereignty is \u201cthe greatest threat\u201d and that our reservations should be \u201cdisestablished.\u201d A number of powerful politicians seem to fear Cherokee Nation making its own laws and protecting the public interest. \r\n <p><\/p>\r\nFrom the perspective of anti-Indian politicians, maybe our sovereignty is a threat. It is certainly a threat to the corrupt influence of those who would try to secretly buy our elections. \r\n <p><\/p>\r\nI firmly believe that some of the same anti-Indian interests who want to destroy our reservations are busy hatching a \u201cplan B\u201d to try to control tribal governments. The Cherokee people and their representatives will not stand for it. No wonder some of these anti-sovereignty politicians are scared.\r\n <p><\/p>\r\nWe are sovereign. The Cherokee people demand transparency. The days of corrupt dark money in Cherokee politics are over.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<HR><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-3\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/23\/chuckhoskinavatar.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Hoskin Jr\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" class=\"rounded-circle\" \/><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-9\"><EM><A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\">Chuck Hoskin Jr.<\/A> \r\nis the 18th elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest Indian \r\ntribe in the United States. He is only the second elected Principal Chief of the \r\nCherokee Nation from Vinita, the first being Thomas Buffington, who served from \r\n1899-1903. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, Hoskin served as the tribe\u2019s \r\nSecretary of State. He also formerly served as a member of the Council of the \r\nCherokee Nation, representing District 11 for six years.<\/EM><\/div><\/div><HR>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The days of corrupt dark money in Cherokee politics are over.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25159,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,1,9,14],"tags":[77,76,56,127,3022],"class_list":["post-25155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-law","category-national","category-opinion","category-politics","tag-cherokee","tag-chuck-hoskin","tag-elections","tag-oklahoma","tag-sovereignth","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/14\/CherokeeNation.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-6xJ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25155"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25155\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}