"Elections on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation tend to be accompanied by controversy, and it has happened again.

Duane Big Eagle recently was elected tribal chairman in a close race when he edged incumbent Brandon Sazue 354 votes to 343. After the election, Sazue accused Big Eagle of vote-buying and other election-law violations. Past elections have brought with them similar accusations, but few — if any — have ever been proved. In the late 1990s, for example, tribal members accused certain members of the tribal council of using alcohol at elections to sway voters.

Unfortunately, controversy has been ever present at Crow Creek.

The tribe ran into troubles with the Internal Revenue Service in 2005. A former tribal chairman told The Daily Republic that year that the tribe had a tax debt of nearly $3 million and records at that time showed there were at least 14 federal tax liens on tribal property.

In 2004, the tribe temporarily closed its Lode Star Casino after federal investigators caught employees stealing money.

Last year, the former superintendent of the Crow Creek Tribal School was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for soliciting bribes in connection with the construction of a student dormitory."

Get the Story:
Our View: Controversy last thing needed at Crow Creek (The Mitchell Daily Republic 5/6)
pwpwd

Related Stories:
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe inaugurates leader after close vote (5/5)
Ousted Crow Creek Sioux Tribe chair challenges election (4/23)
Crow Creek Sioux chair loses reelection bid by 11 votes (4/20)
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe removes leaders after guilty pleas (3/30)