The Osage Minerals Council voted to rescind a resolution that would have sent $50,000 to the plaintiffs in the Jech vs. United States lawsuit April 20.
The OMC voted to help fund the lawsuit last year but due to some second thoughts by Councilmen Melvin Core and Myron Red Eagle, the check was never sent. Since that time Chief John Red Eagle said he would not support the case or help fund it, members of the Osage Congress brought attention to the account the money was to come from and asked for an audit, and on March 31 the case was dismissed.
Osage shareholders supporting the case, which sought to dismantle the 2006 ratification of the Osage Constitution and 2006 elections, have become increasingly upset with certain council members and have demanded the council make a decision to send the money, or not.
“I wanna get this over with and vote on it,” said OMC Councilman Curtis Bear during the April 20 OMC meeting. “I know this has been kind of stretching out and I believe . . . the shareholders, deserve an answer.”
Councilman Andrew Yates made the motion to rescind resolution 2-17, a resolution to send $50,000 to the Jech plaintiffs. But before the council voted a shareholder at the meeting asked the council why they wouldn’t back the Jech case.
“None of you have stated exactly why you’re against this?” said the shareholder. “The Jech lawsuit is to protect us, and the [Osage] Nation is chipping away at our mineral estate until it falls through.”
She said that the shareholders elected the council to protect the shareholders interests and that they campaigned that they would.
“I campaigned on the promise that I would work on [Osage] constitutional amendments to fix problems in the Constitution,” said OMC Councilman Galen Crum. “I voted against [the resolution] the first time . . . and I’m going to vote against it again because I still think it’s bad. [The Jech case has] proven it’s not going to go anywhere, it’s going to get killed by procedural questions.”
The vote passed with five “yes” votes and two “no” votes and one abstention.
Voting “yes” were Councilmen Joseph “Sonny” Abbott, Melvin Core, Andrew Yates, Myron Red Eagle and Galen Crum. Voting “no” were Councilwoman Cynthia Boone and Councilman Curtis Bear. OMC Chairman Dudley Whitehorn abstained from the vote since he is a plaintiff in the case.
Once the resolution was rescinded one person enthusiastically clapped in the council chambers while the rest were silent. After a couple of seconds of silence passed an attendee asked Councilman Red Eagle to stop laughing.
The council adjourned the meeting and those listening to the live broadcast over the Internet expect the broadcast to be shut off after the meeting is adjourned. But the broadcast was left on and listeners could hear a female start to yell at the council and then start to yell at Councilman Abbott.
“Sonny, you should’ve ran for [Osage] Congress! You’re right there with Congress! Why didn’t you run for Congress?! Why did you run for the Minerals Council?!”
Councilman Abbott did not respond and the female shareholder then started yelling at Councilman Crum.
“You lose all my shares for me boy and you and I are going to go round and round Galen, I guarantee you that!”
Multiple people started yelling at that point and then the broadcast was turned off.
To listen to the broadcast click on the link below.
http://www.osagetribe.com/main_view_video_detail.aspx?sort=1989
Location
Pawhuska, OK
By
Shannon Shaw Duty
Original Publish Date: 2011-04-21 00:00:00
