A sign to the offices of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Photo from USGS / Flickr
The acting chairman of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in South Dakota is facing a challenge to his leadership. Vice Chairman Kevin Wright assumed the top post shortly before the death of longtime Chairman Michael Jandreau. The two had been at odds over access to tribal documents. Wright is now squabbling with two other council members, who are asking the tribe's court to stop him from acting as chairman. They also want to invalidate any actions that he's taken in the last few weeks. “It’s all ludicrous,” Wright told the Associated Press in response to the claims. “It just shows that they have something to hide, to me.” Since taking over, Wright has asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to freeze the tribe's federal funds due to concerns about misspending. He also fired three outside attorneys. Get the Story:
Lower Brule Sioux leadership dispute moves to tribal court (AP 5/5) Human Rights Watch Report:
Secret and Unaccountable: The Tribal Council at Brule and Its Impact on Human Rights (January 2015)
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