Madera County officials want feds to sort out Chukchansi disputes Published: July 10, 2013 Updated 9 hours ago By Marc Benjamin — The Fresno Bee Madera County supervisors want the federal government to intervene in the ongoing strife between factions of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians. They agreed on Tuesday to send a letter to officials in Washington, D.C., seeking a definitive ruling about the tribe’s leadership. Three factions have been fighting for the past 19 months, each claiming to be the tribe’s duly elected leaders. Last year, there was a near riot that required a massive regional and state law enforcement presence at the rancheria’s business complex. “The sheriff and the county contend that if the tribe is unwilling or unable to solve its own dispute, it is the responsibility of the federal government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to intervene,” the letter said. “We respectfully ask that you do so.” Supervisors approved their letter Tuesday following a closed session and called for “assistance and intervention in resolving the internal dispute … concerning which tribal faction constitutes the true tribal government.” The factions, headed by Nancy Ayala and Reggie Lewis, continue to assert that they are the rightful tribal council and accuse the other side of criminal wrongdoing. The Bureau of Indian Affairs recognized December’s election, which placed Ayala and Lewis on the council, and ruled the third faction was out of power. In February, the council split into two factions when Ayala held a vote to dissolve the tribal council elected in December. “They show no signs of resolving their differences,” the letter said. “The ongoing dispute over who represents the tribe has interfered with the ability of the Chukchansi Economic Development Authority to make its bond payments.” In a ruling last week, a New York judge ordered both sides to cooperate when paying the tribe’s contractors and employees and bond payments for the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino. Supervisors want federal intervention because each faction is accusing the other of wrongdoing and demanding Sheriff John Anderson take action. The atmosphere on the rancheria near Coarsegold remains tense, Madera County officials say. The supervisors said the disputes are civil issues beyond the sheriff’s authority. A few weeks ago, Anderson asked supervisors to retain legal counsel with Indian law expertise after a Madera County judge ruled Anderson and his officers have to do a “till tap” at the casino, which would require the sheriff to go inside the casino and get money to settle an outstanding lawsuit brought by a former casino official. That lawsuit was settled by the Lewis group without the consent of the Ayala group, which is running the casino. Ayala’s group has challenged the settlement; a hearing in the case is scheduled in August. Another dispute involves possession of tribal housing property on Highway 41, just north of the rancheria. Anderson said federal law requires the federal government to act on Native American issues. “I just need some help,” he said. “I have 150,000 more people in this county and there are only about 900 up there.” There has been no movement toward a decision by the federal government, said Max Rodriguez, chairman of Madera County’s Board of Supervisors. He hopes the county’s letter may prod some action. “The Department of the Interior is not doing anything and neither is the BIA,” he said. “I wish they would hurry because it puts us in a predicament to hire a law firm to assist us.” Madera County can’t afford to pay for lawyers, but any misstep by the county could lead to a lawsuit — and cost the county even more money — he said. DOCUMENT PAGES Zoom « Page 1 of 2 Read more here: fresnobee/2013/07/10/3382573/madera-county-officials-want-feds.html#storylink=cpy
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 01:36:43 +0000
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