Tex Hall, chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation of North Dakota and president of the National Congress of American Indians, said a recent memo threatening tribal employees with termination for speaking to the media is not a "gag order."

Hall spoke at the Native American Journalists Association reception in Washington, D.C., last week. He said the tribe wants to prevent inaccurate and proprietary information from being published.

But one critic said Hall just wants to keep bad news out of the press. Jodi Rave Lee, a tribal member who reports on Native issues for a newspaper chain, wrote a column decrying Hall's press policy.

NCAI endorsed a free press policy last November.

Get the Story:
Native leader denies censorship (Unity.Org 8/8)

Relevant Links:
Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation - http://www.mhanation.com

Related Stories:
Jodi Rave Lee: Gag order sign of poor leadership (8/9)
Tribal employees ordered not to talk to media (8/4)
No charges recommended in tribal bison controversy (06/10)
North Dakota tribe warned on bison management (05/26)
North Dakota tribe, park plan to review bison agreement (05/12)
North Dakota tribe won't accept bison this year (5/11)
Employee who criticized tribe's bison program laid off (5/6)
Bison agreement with tribe under speedy review (04/28)
N.D. tribe's bison crew rejects mismanagement claims (04/21)
N.D. tribal elders want to monitor bison herd (04/14)
N.D. tribal council to consider status of bison herd (4/13)
North Dakota tribe accused of mismanaging bison herd (4/9)
Health of N.D. tribe's bison herd questioned again (04/05)
N.D. tribe's bison herd found in good shape (04/28)
Health of N.D. tribe's bison herd questioned (4/24)