{"id":31018,"date":"2023-04-17T14:20:07","date_gmt":"2023-04-17T18:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/2023\/04\/17\/leader-of-quapaw-nation-resigns-amid-recall-effort\/"},"modified":"2023-07-31T14:05:06","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T18:05:06","slug":"leader-of-quapaw-nation-resigns-amid-recall-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/04\/17\/leader-of-quapaw-nation-resigns-amid-recall-effort\/","title":{"rendered":"Leader of Quapaw Nation resigns amid recall effort"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3A5TIoA2EgI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Indianz.Com Video: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/3A5TIoA2EgI>Leader of Quapaw Nation resigns amid recall effort<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">Leader of Quapaw Nation resigns amid recall effort<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Monday, April 17, 2023<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nThe <a href=https:\/\/www.quapawtribe.com\/>Quapaw Nation<\/a> will be electing a new chairman following the resignation of Joseph Tali Byrd from the tribe&#8217;s top executive post.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nByrd resigned at a regularly scheduled business committee meeting on Saturday. A reason wasn&#8217;t given in a <a href=https:\/\/www.quapawtribe.com\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=912>statement from the Oklahoma-based tribe<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n&#8220;Effective April 15, 2023, Chairman Joseph T. Byrd resigned from the Quapaw\r\nNation Business committee during the monthly Business Committee meeting,&#8221; the <a href=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OGAHPAH\/posts\/pfbid0WZdF8kEHpskAvakAcoPc7Wo8LSgNX7VkhQgXc1H5j6hyxXLMxFhMTfFzH3z114d6l>statement on Saturday<\/a> read. &#8220;His service to the Quapaw Nation is appreciated.&#8221;\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;We will continue to strengthen the Quapaw Nation through care of one another, and responsible leadership as our Nation transitions to the next chapter,&#8221; the statement continued.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"fb-post\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OGAHPAH\/posts\/pfbid0WZdF8kEHpskAvakAcoPc7Wo8LSgNX7VkhQgXc1H5j6hyxXLMxFhMTfFzH3z114d6l\" data-width=\"552\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block;\"><\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nByrd was the subject of a recall petition, accusing him of failing to attend tribal meetings and of failing to participate in  a sufficient number of tribal votes. Critics also pointed out that he is <a href=https:\/\/www.thequapawpost.com\/post\/chairman-of-quapaw-nation-joseph-byrd-files-for-office-with-cherokee-nation-leaving-many-questions>running for office<\/a> in the <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/>Cherokee Nation<\/a>, another tribe based in Oklahoma.\r\n<P><\/p>\r\nThe Quapaw Nation Election Committee confirmed the petition to be valid on March 27, according to a letter sent to one of the  organizers of the recall and a <a href=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OGAHPAH\/posts\/pfbid0Gzz5MhEYwaAtMBPYm7PSoikYiqnASCGxB4V5tii55jbFgoAJiLCxKumqYykpukAwl>post on the tribe&#8217;s social media<\/a>. An election would have been scheduled to remove Byrd from office, had he not left the position of his own accord.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;I hope whoever the next chairman is we actually give them the support they deserve,&#8221; Byrd said at the <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/b0FIy71cD9w?t=2434>business committee meeting<\/a> on Saturday after he acknowledged the validity of the recall petition.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<div class=row>\r\n<div class=col-7>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2023\/04\/17\/leader-of-quapaw-nation-resigns-amid-recall-effort\/josephbyrd\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-31663\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/31\/JosephByrd.jpg\" alt=\"Joseph T. Byrd\"  class=\"size-full wp-image-31663\" \/><\/a><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"col-5 align-self-end\"><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\"> Joseph T. Byrd. Photo courtesy Quapaw Nation<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;For my entire time in office, my character, integrity and morals have been\r\nquestioned,&#8221; Byrd added before <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/b0FIy71cD9w?t=2628>resigning and leaving the meeting<\/a> after about 45 minutes. &#8220;I&#8217;ve received death threats and many friends have become foes.&#8221;\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nByrd was first elected chairman in July 2020. He had just won re-election to another term in <a href=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OGAHPAH\/posts\/pfbid02s8RAf4Yc3d5EHhZ5QiKyDo6bjW9iv5xvLu2VaumLYt8JtmWBCp9oEgMRZqucLD8ol>July 2022<\/a> so his resignations leaves a vacancy in the office.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nByrd  was  the tribe&#8217;s first new executive leader in 20 years, having replaced John Berrey, who is facing criminal charges in tribal court for alleged corruption.  Separately, the tribe has filed a civil lawsuit against Berrey in connection with his time in 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\nAccording to <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokeephoenix.org\/cn_election_2023\/candidate-eligibility-decision-headed-to-high-court\/article_e036c0e6-bcf4-11ed-9d52-f3a44f32a359.html>The Cherokee Phoenix<\/a>, Byrd is running for  District 3  on the <a href=https:\/\/legislative.cherokee.org\/>Cherokee Nation Council<\/a>. His candidacy was upheld by the Cherokee Nation Election Commission after an opponent questioned his eligibility, the paper reported. The  Cherokee Nation Supreme Court later confirmed the commission&#8217;s decision in a ruling last last month, the <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokeephoenix.org\/cn_election_2023\/court-upholds-district-3-candidate-decision\/article_371cdfb4-ce37-11ed-b4ca-47f11b693c00.html>paper said<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nByrd&#8217;s father is Joe Byrd, a former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. The elder Byrd also served as Speaker of the Cherokee Nation Council.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe Cherokee Nation election takes place June 3. Byrd is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nIn the statement on Saturday, the Quapaw Nation said the tribe&#8217;s election committee will be providing an update about the vacancy in the chair position &#8220;in the coming days.&#8221;\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"h5-responsive sub\">Quapaw Nation Business Committee Meeting &#8211; April 15, 2023<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/b0FIy71cD9w?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Quapaw Nation: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/b0FIy71cD9w>Business Committee Meeting, April 15th, 2023<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\nJoseph T. Byrd addresses the recall petition against him during a business committee meeting of the Quapaw Nation on April 15, 2023.  His  <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/b0FIy71cD9w?t=2434>remarks start at about 40:43<\/a> into the video. He then resigns as chairman of the tribe. \r\n<p><\/p>\r\n Byrd&#8217;s full remarks at the meeting follow:\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=mx-4>\r\nSo   this week I received notification   that a recall \r\npetition had met the required amount of\r\nsignatures necessary to call a special\r\nelection for the position of chairman,\r\nwhich begs the question:\r\n\r\nWho will lead when I am gone?\r\n\r\nWho will step up?\r\n\r\nWho has the capacity to represent after\r\n\r\nme?\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n\r\nSomebody must. It can&#8217;t always be me.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nI hope whoever the next chairman is\r\nwe actually give them the support they\r\ndeserve, the necessary resources to execute their\r\nduties  and we pay them what they&#8217;re worth.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nI hope they receive everything I did not. Give them an assistant to help with\r\ntheir tremendously hectic schedule,  give them a fully functioning business committee.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nLet them lead. Let them do what&#8217;s necessary to progress the Quapaw people.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nfor my entire time in office, my character,  integrity and morals have been\r\nquestioned. I&#8217;ve received death threats and many friends have become foes.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nInstead of giving in, I chose to double down\r\nand be the leader that was needed during\r\na time of much unrest.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nAnd throughout my time as chairman, I have made good decisions and some not so good decisions. But right or wrong I own all of them.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nThere has been so much change during my time.\r\nWe have experienced record growth and\r\nrecord profits. The Quapaw Nation is in\r\nthe best position it&#8217;s ever been in  &#8212; far\r\nbetter financially than before my time.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nBut with more money comes more problems\r\nand while we continue fighting amongst\r\nourselves internally,\r\nwe are constantly faced with external\r\nchallenges.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nI&#8217;ve been able to represent Quapaw at the\r\nlocal and state levels [and]\r\nhad the honor to represent at the\r\nhighest levels of the federal government\r\nand even in the international arena &#8212;\r\nall while we continue to be our own\r\nworst enemies.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nAs Indian people we carry an inherent\r\ntrauma from generations long ago\r\nand that doesn&#8217;t change in a day or even\r\nan elected term. We continue to struggle with this\r\nand I was a fool to think my actions\r\nalone could change it.\r\n<p><\/P>\r\nAs a consequence of this trauma,\r\na small fraction of our tribe have made\r\npoor decisions of their own, \r\nand in time they will also have to own\r\nit.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe reality is that I can no longer do\r\nwhat is necessary because it requires me\r\nto stay on the war path. And even though it&#8217;s something I am good\r\nat, it&#8217;s a path I am unwilling to continue down &#8212; \r\nespecially while I help my partner raise our two daughters.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nSo  effective today, \r\nI&#8217;m resigning as your chairman.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nTo the majority of the tribe that still\r\nsupports me, \r\nthank you for believing in me and my\r\nabilities to bring about the necessary\r\nchange for our nation.\r\nThank you to our employees who are truly\r\nthe backbone of our nation.\r\nThanks to the many friends I&#8217;ve made along the way\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nAnd for Ardina, Hekili and Raquel\r\nI say &#8216;Daddy loves you&#8217; and he&#8217;s coming\r\nhome.\r\n<\/div>\r\n <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/31\/JosephByrd.jpeg\" alt=\"Joseph T. Byrd\" width=\"0\" height=\"0\" class=\"invisible\" \/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Quapaw Nation will be electing a new chairman following the resignation of Joseph T. Byrd from the tribe\u2019s top executive post.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31095,"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":[13,1,14],"tags":[77,101,56,3921,426,127,425,106],"class_list":["post-31018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-law","category-national","category-politics","tag-cherokee","tag-crime","tag-elections","tag-john-berrey","tag-joseph-byrd","tag-oklahoma","tag-quapaw","tag-tribal-courts","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/31\/JosephByrd.jpeg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-84i","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31018","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=31018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31018\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}