Eastern Cherokee judge dismisses lawsuit filed by fired gaming officials


The Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina, celebrated its 18th anniversary in 2015. Photo from Facebook

Three gaming commissioners who were fired by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina lost a lawsuit in tribal court, The Cherokee One Feather reported.

The commissioners claimed their removal was unfair. But the judge ruled last week that the tribe followed its own laws, the paper reported.

Chief Patrick Lambert fired the commissioners in one of his first actions after taking office last October. The tribal council upheld the decision in March.

Lambert also fired the executive director that the commissioners hired -- that was former chief Michell Hicks. The commissioners interviewed Hicks while he was still in office and he accepted the job before he stepped down.

Hicks was not part of the lawsuit, however.

Chad Smith, a former chief of the Cherokee Nation, is representing the former commissioners in tribal court. He told The Cherokee One Feather that he will appeal the judge's decision.

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Former TGC commissioners’ lawsuit dismissed (The Cherokee One Feather 5/13)

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