Six leaders of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota have been suspended without pay for 30 days.

Vice Chairwoman Ida Ashes and all five members of the Business and Claims Committee were suspended for trying to cancel a general council meeting without authority. Their absence leaves just Chairman Thurman Cournoyer Sr., Treasurer Lee O’Connor and Secretary Glenford “Sam” Sully on duty for a month.

“We’re going through turmoil over here,” Cournoyer told The Mitchell Daily Republic.

Cournoyer told the paper that he thinks Ashes and the other leaders tried to cancel the July 14 meeting in order to prevent their friends and relatives from being fired from jobs at the tribe's casino.

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Yankton Sioux Tribe leaders suspended for alleged misconduct (The Mitchell Daily Republic 6/19)