Here: Statement by LVD Tribal Council.
Lac Vieux Desert Band
News Coverage of LVD Council Jailing
WATERSMEET — It has been a politically charged few weeks for the Lac Vieux Desert Tribe but things turned criminal on Wednesday.
All nine members of the tribal council were held in contempt of court after refusing to swear in the new chairman and treasurer and are now sitting in jail.
Judge Bradley Dakota’s ruling said the council must remain in jail until a majority agrees to swear in the new members.
Ruth Antone is an elder within the tribe and has lived on Lac Vieux Desert land all of her life.
She supports swearing in the new council but given the fact that two of her grandchildren are on the current council and are now in jail it’s been a difficult situation.
“I was at the hospital last night because my blood pressure was high and that’s because all that’s been going on,” she said. “I want it over with, I’m glad it’s over with soon I hope.”
The jailed council members released a statement through their attorney saying:
“We are being criminally punished for upholding the Constitution.”
LVD Council Arrested?!?!?
WATERSMEET — Controversy continues to surround the Lac Vieux Desert Tribe and Wednesday police took action.
All nine tribal council members have been arrested for disobeying a court order by refusing to swear in the newly elected chairman and treasurer at last night’s tribal council meeting.
In July, tribal members protested the council’s decision not to step down after seven of the nine council members were voted out of office.
A third party judge ruled last month that the new chairman and treasurer must be sworn in and a new election would be held for the five general council positions.
The nine arrested council members have been transported off tribal property and are being held in the iron county jail without bond.
Arizona Supreme Court Holds Lac Vieux Desert Chippewa Did Not Properly Serve Mexican Defendants in Gaming Dispute
Here is the opinion in Cardona v. Kreamer.
Earlier materials here.
Rojas Cardona v. Lac Vieux Desert Petition for Review in Ariz. Supreme Court
LVD Claim against Mexican Business Partners — UPDATED
Here is the amended complaint — lvd-complaint
From ICT:
WATERSMEET, Mich. – The chairman of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians has some advice to tribes who are thinking about economic development projects outside the United States. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is, Chairman Jim Williams warned.
The Lac Vieux Desert Band (LVD) has filed a lawsuit against Arturo Rojas Cardona and Juan Jose Rojas Cardona and their company, alleging that the brothers have defrauded the tribe of its $6.5 million investment in a casino in Guadeloupe, Mexico.
The lawsuit was filed originally in Arizona Superior Court in April 2008, and moved to the U.S. District Court in Arizona in July 2008. The action lists multiple claims, including “breach of contract, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, constructive trust, and piercing the corporate veil against” the brothers and the host of companies in Mexico, the U.S. and Panama that comprise their gaming empire of 16 casinos and sports books in Mexico.
Race Discrimination Complaint at Watersmeet
News coverage here:
The Watersmeet Township School District is facing a discrimination complaint from one of their faculty members.
The complainant, a Native American teacher, was recently pink-slipped. She claims it was because of her race and retaliation for complaining about a racially-hostile school environment; but officials say it all comes down to money, and they no longer have the budget to fund the position.
Turtle Talk 