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Monday, August 18, 2003

Issues of race and money have surfaced as the Eastern Band of Cherokees of North Carolina proceed with impeachment proceedings against top officials.

According to The Asheville Citizen Times, some of the leaders who support the impeachment also support an "audit" of the tribal enrollment list. Some believe there are non-Indians who got their names on a 1924 roll by fraudulent means. Members, at that time, benefited from timber rights.

"Some individuals got their names included," John Finger, a professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, told the paper. "They were called five-dollar Indians because supposedly they paid the people preparing the roll five bucks a name to be added to it."

Money remains an issue now that the tribe operates a casino that brings in $155 million a year. Tribal members receive a $6,000 annual per cap. Reducing the membership would increase the payment.

Chief Leon Jones, who has already been voted out of office, is the main target of the impeachment. He does not support an audit of the rolls and has vetoed legislation that would limit the voting rights of off-reservation tribal members.

Get the Story:
Tribe torn by politics, race, cash (The Asheville Citizen Times 8/17)

Relevant Links:
Eastern Band of Cherokees - http://www.cherokee-nc.com

Related Stories:
Cherokee impeachment to begin next month (8/12)
Eastern Cherokee chief facing impeachment hearing (8/8)
Eastern Cherokee chief ousted in primary (06/06)
Eastern Cherokee mailing stirs election probe (05/20)
Eastern Cherokee Tribe to hold primary election (05/19)

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