HAPPY NEW YEARS!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sault Tribe Board Awards Crook with $18,000 Pay Off
Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...The Sault Tribe board met in secret two days ago and voted to reimburse former police chief and board member Fred Paquinn with back pay that he claimed was due to him. It did this in spite of the fact that the former tribal employee is a convicted felon, making his employment contract with the tribe null and void.
Mr. Fred Paquinn stole over $ 800,000.00 in your name. He wrote on grants in your name and used the money as his own personal slush fund...buying things for himself and his extended family members. While there may be a legal question as to whether he is entitled to the back pay, one thing is clear...he stole more money from you than what you owe him.
Fred Paquinn feels you owe him $ 18,000.00. Well, he stole over $ 800,000.00 in your name...money earmarked for the purchase of police vehicles and other law enforcement equipment meant to make your community a safer place to live.
So why did the board honor his request for back pay? 1. Was it to help him repay you $ 238,000.00 as the court order him. 2. Was it for political reasons? 3. Is there something going on here that only the board can understand?
Well, this time board arrogance wins. The likelihood is that it's number three.
Mr. Fred Paquinn was part of the brotherhood of complicity and secrecy (and still is because of his insiders' knowledge) which is subscribed to by several of our old time board members...thinking here of directors Abramson, Boushor and Eitrem. These three charming individuals subscribe to the concept of honor among thieves. Each of them having enough incriminating information on the others to cause them considerable harm.
Thus, the complicity and secrecy.
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
Mr. Fred Paquinn stole over $ 800,000.00 in your name. He wrote on grants in your name and used the money as his own personal slush fund...buying things for himself and his extended family members. While there may be a legal question as to whether he is entitled to the back pay, one thing is clear...he stole more money from you than what you owe him.
Fred Paquinn feels you owe him $ 18,000.00. Well, he stole over $ 800,000.00 in your name...money earmarked for the purchase of police vehicles and other law enforcement equipment meant to make your community a safer place to live.
So why did the board honor his request for back pay? 1. Was it to help him repay you $ 238,000.00 as the court order him. 2. Was it for political reasons? 3. Is there something going on here that only the board can understand?
Well, this time board arrogance wins. The likelihood is that it's number three.
Mr. Fred Paquinn was part of the brotherhood of complicity and secrecy (and still is because of his insiders' knowledge) which is subscribed to by several of our old time board members...thinking here of directors Abramson, Boushor and Eitrem. These three charming individuals subscribe to the concept of honor among thieves. Each of them having enough incriminating information on the others to cause them considerable harm.
Thus, the complicity and secrecy.
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
Sunday, December 26, 2010
DO THE RIGHT THING
As the new year approaches and mistakes of the past are left behind, it's time to make that list of resolutions that so many of us want to keep.
One resolution we can make that cannot fail to bring the best that life has to offer
is to always DO THE RIGHT THING.
Lynne Weaver
One resolution we can make that cannot fail to bring the best that life has to offer
is to always DO THE RIGHT THING.
Lynne Weaver
Friday, December 24, 2010
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Niibaa' anami'egiizhigad & Aabita Biboo
Best Wishes for a peaceful Christmas.
Remember that the meaning of the occasion
is not about the price tag or the number of gifts
under the tree. The gift of love is the best gift of all.
Lynne Weaver
Best Wishes for a peaceful Christmas.
Remember that the meaning of the occasion
is not about the price tag or the number of gifts
under the tree. The gift of love is the best gift of all.
Lynne Weaver
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
PAQUIN SENTENCING PRESS RELEASE
Copied from the website of:
The United States Attorney's Office Western District of Michigan
Contact:
MAARTEN VERMAAT
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2404
FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE FOR SAULT TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS
SENTENCED AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO
DERAUD THE UNITED STATES
WEDNESDAY, December 15, 2010 - MARQUETTE, Mich. – Frederick James Paquin, age 53, of St. Ignace, Michigan, and the former Chief of Police for the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, was sentenced to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $231,785.03 in restitution to the United States of America, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. On July 23, 2010, Paquin had pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by dishonest means.
The significant sentence handed down today stems from Paquin’s misuse of federal grant funds awarded to the Sault Tribe Police Department between 2002 and 2008. Paquin served as the Sault Tribe Chief of Police from 2007 until October 2008. The federal grants were awarded under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP) which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (hereinafter “the COPS Office”). Grants awarded to the Sault Tribe Police Department under the TRGP were intended to help the Sault Tribe address their most serious unmet financial needs for law enforcement. Paquin unlawfully violated the terms of the federal grants in various ways.
One way of violating the terms of the grants and thwarting their intended purpose was
by obtaining false and fictitious purchase invoices to divert grant funds to accounts held by various vendors with which the Tribal Police Department did business. In short, Defendant created records of purchases that didn’t actually take place. In turn, the Tribe’s Purchasing Department reviewed the paper records of the supposed purchases and then unwittingly paid the vendors for items that were not actually purchased by the Tribal Police Department, thereby creating a credit in the Tribal Police Department’s account to the vendors. Once the grant funds were diverted as credits into these vendor accounts, they were no longer subject to oversight by the Tribal Purchasing Department or the COPS Office. As a result, Defendant could and did use these credits (actually federal taxpayer dollars) in any way he saw fit, without any oversight and in complete violation of the grant terms. In essence, Defendant created a way to funnel federal taxpayer dollars into “slush funds” that only he knew about and controlled.
Defendant used a substantial portion of these illegally obtained and concealed credits to enhance his own status within the Tribe. For example, he used grant funds to purchase an ATV that was to be used for a charitable raffle, but told people that he purchased the ATV with his own money. He also publicly asked vendors to make “donations” to the Tribe’s Junior Police Academy, but authorized them to take money from the Tribal Police Department’s account, which contained diverted grant funds, to make these donations. Defendant also personally and directly benefitted from the grant diversion scheme, such as when he used credits at one vendor to help finance his son in law’s lease of a vehicle or when he used credits to purchase sporting items for his personal use.
Defendant also cheated the TRGP program in other ways. For example, he purchased
items with grant funds that on their face appeared to be for the use of Sault Tribe Police Department but were in fact given away to other organizations in direct violation of the grant terms. Examples include: (1) Motorola radios given to Tribal casinos, (2) Glock handguns given to the Manistique Police Department, (3) defibrillators provided to Tribal casinos and a health club, (4) uniforms given to Tribal casino security officers, and (5) various other items such as flashlights and cameras that were given to other police departments.
As both Tribal Chief of Police and Tribal Board member, Paquin exercised unchecked power within the Tribe and operated the Police Department as his own private fiefdom. Paquin increased his own personal esteem within the Tribe and the broader law enforcement community by illegally dispensing items purchased with grant funds as if they were his own property. He continually resisted all attempts at oversight by Tribal Accounting, and all but prevented the FBI from investigating crimes on Tribal lands. As a result of these illegal activities Paquin was able to divert and wrongfully use grant funds in excess of $300,000.
In addition to the grant fraud set forth above, Paquin also defrauded the Sault Tribe
directly by maintaining his daughter as a full time employee of the Tribe Police Department for almost a year despite the fact that she had left her employment with the Tribe to become a full time student teacher. The ghost employee fraud cost the tribe approximately $43,000 in unearned wages paid to Paquin’s daughter.
In open court Paquin admitted to the full range of his criminal conduct including diverting $242,000 in federal grant funds and having his daughter receive a full time salary when she was not performing work for the Tribe. Paquin went on to apologize to the Tribe, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Court and his family for his criminal conduct.
U.S. Attorney Davis stated: “The respect and confidence that tribal members place in their tribal institutions is dependant upon receiving honest and faithful services from their tribal officials. This office will aggressively pursue and prosecute tribal officials who violate their solemn oath and duties.” Elise Chawaga, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of the Inspector General, Fraud Detection Office, said “the Office of the Inspector General is committed to holding accountable, public officials who betray the trust placed in them by using for personal gain Department of Justice grant funds that were intended to benefit the public.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena noted that “these charges are examples of corrupt government officials who have abused their positions for personal gain.” He added that “public corruption is a top criminal priority of the FBI and will not be tolerated. This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating public corruption on every level and bringing those who betray the public’s trust to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General, Fraud Detection Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maarten Vermaat.
END
The United States Attorney's Office Western District of Michigan
Contact:
MAARTEN VERMAAT
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2404
FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE FOR SAULT TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS
SENTENCED AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO
DERAUD THE UNITED STATES
WEDNESDAY, December 15, 2010 - MARQUETTE, Mich. – Frederick James Paquin, age 53, of St. Ignace, Michigan, and the former Chief of Police for the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, was sentenced to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $231,785.03 in restitution to the United States of America, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. On July 23, 2010, Paquin had pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States by dishonest means.
The significant sentence handed down today stems from Paquin’s misuse of federal grant funds awarded to the Sault Tribe Police Department between 2002 and 2008. Paquin served as the Sault Tribe Chief of Police from 2007 until October 2008. The federal grants were awarded under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tribal Resources Grant Program (TRGP) which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (hereinafter “the COPS Office”). Grants awarded to the Sault Tribe Police Department under the TRGP were intended to help the Sault Tribe address their most serious unmet financial needs for law enforcement. Paquin unlawfully violated the terms of the federal grants in various ways.
One way of violating the terms of the grants and thwarting their intended purpose was
by obtaining false and fictitious purchase invoices to divert grant funds to accounts held by various vendors with which the Tribal Police Department did business. In short, Defendant created records of purchases that didn’t actually take place. In turn, the Tribe’s Purchasing Department reviewed the paper records of the supposed purchases and then unwittingly paid the vendors for items that were not actually purchased by the Tribal Police Department, thereby creating a credit in the Tribal Police Department’s account to the vendors. Once the grant funds were diverted as credits into these vendor accounts, they were no longer subject to oversight by the Tribal Purchasing Department or the COPS Office. As a result, Defendant could and did use these credits (actually federal taxpayer dollars) in any way he saw fit, without any oversight and in complete violation of the grant terms. In essence, Defendant created a way to funnel federal taxpayer dollars into “slush funds” that only he knew about and controlled.
Defendant used a substantial portion of these illegally obtained and concealed credits to enhance his own status within the Tribe. For example, he used grant funds to purchase an ATV that was to be used for a charitable raffle, but told people that he purchased the ATV with his own money. He also publicly asked vendors to make “donations” to the Tribe’s Junior Police Academy, but authorized them to take money from the Tribal Police Department’s account, which contained diverted grant funds, to make these donations. Defendant also personally and directly benefitted from the grant diversion scheme, such as when he used credits at one vendor to help finance his son in law’s lease of a vehicle or when he used credits to purchase sporting items for his personal use.
Defendant also cheated the TRGP program in other ways. For example, he purchased
items with grant funds that on their face appeared to be for the use of Sault Tribe Police Department but were in fact given away to other organizations in direct violation of the grant terms. Examples include: (1) Motorola radios given to Tribal casinos, (2) Glock handguns given to the Manistique Police Department, (3) defibrillators provided to Tribal casinos and a health club, (4) uniforms given to Tribal casino security officers, and (5) various other items such as flashlights and cameras that were given to other police departments.
As both Tribal Chief of Police and Tribal Board member, Paquin exercised unchecked power within the Tribe and operated the Police Department as his own private fiefdom. Paquin increased his own personal esteem within the Tribe and the broader law enforcement community by illegally dispensing items purchased with grant funds as if they were his own property. He continually resisted all attempts at oversight by Tribal Accounting, and all but prevented the FBI from investigating crimes on Tribal lands. As a result of these illegal activities Paquin was able to divert and wrongfully use grant funds in excess of $300,000.
In addition to the grant fraud set forth above, Paquin also defrauded the Sault Tribe
directly by maintaining his daughter as a full time employee of the Tribe Police Department for almost a year despite the fact that she had left her employment with the Tribe to become a full time student teacher. The ghost employee fraud cost the tribe approximately $43,000 in unearned wages paid to Paquin’s daughter.
In open court Paquin admitted to the full range of his criminal conduct including diverting $242,000 in federal grant funds and having his daughter receive a full time salary when she was not performing work for the Tribe. Paquin went on to apologize to the Tribe, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Court and his family for his criminal conduct.
U.S. Attorney Davis stated: “The respect and confidence that tribal members place in their tribal institutions is dependant upon receiving honest and faithful services from their tribal officials. This office will aggressively pursue and prosecute tribal officials who violate their solemn oath and duties.” Elise Chawaga, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of the Inspector General, Fraud Detection Office, said “the Office of the Inspector General is committed to holding accountable, public officials who betray the trust placed in them by using for personal gain Department of Justice grant funds that were intended to benefit the public.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena noted that “these charges are examples of corrupt government officials who have abused their positions for personal gain.” He added that “public corruption is a top criminal priority of the FBI and will not be tolerated. This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating public corruption on every level and bringing those who betray the public’s trust to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General, Fraud Detection Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maarten Vermaat.
END
9&10 News - Former UP Police Chief Being Sent to Other Side of Bars
Fred Paquin Sentencing
1 year in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $231,000. 2 years supervised release after prison release. Same conditions of probation apply pending his assignment and report to the federal bureau of prisons.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
PAQUIN ALERT...SENTENCING TOMORROW - 12/15/2010
Reading Paquin's attorney's memorandum, it would suggest that it's okay to steal hundreds of thousands in grant/tribal funds as long as you give some of it away...in your own name.
I wonder if he claimed those donations on his income tax. If so, I wonder if he claimed it as income first, and I also wonder if the IRS is looking into his actions?
By tomorrow afternoon we should know if it's okay to defraud the government to make yourself look like the local hero. If so, I have a few things on my list that I could use and I know a lot of other tribal citizens who are in desperate need. Who do we give our lists to?
Director Causley, insists that Paquin go back to work immediately...
Will the door of opportunity open to further corruption or will it slam in the face of those who are part of it? We'll know tomorrow.
I wonder if he claimed those donations on his income tax. If so, I wonder if he claimed it as income first, and I also wonder if the IRS is looking into his actions?
By tomorrow afternoon we should know if it's okay to defraud the government to make yourself look like the local hero. If so, I have a few things on my list that I could use and I know a lot of other tribal citizens who are in desperate need. Who do we give our lists to?
Director Causley, insists that Paquin go back to work immediately...
Will the door of opportunity open to further corruption or will it slam in the face of those who are part of it? We'll know tomorrow.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Both Sentencing reports on Fred Paquin
Government's Sentencing Memorandum
Paquins sentencing memorandum
Submitted by Paquin's Attorney, here.
Submitted by Paquin's Attorney, here.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Rumor or .....
Because there have been numerous comments on this blog and through the grapevine over several months regarding the attempted bribery of board members, the topic needs to be brought into the open. Do I personally believe that any members of the Sault tribe Board of Directors would consider or accept a bribe? What do you think?
Too many decisions have been made that have little to do with the best interests of the tribe. Too many under-the-table, back-room-deals have been rumored to have occurred over the span of several years including the barge deal, the Greektown plan that enabled a whole lot of somebodies except the Sault Tribe to benefit, 30 some odd businesses built under Bouschor in which ALL 'failed' and let's not forget the 2.7 million dollar deal that was constructed in secret. Anyone that expresses shock or disbelief that secret deals and bribery could happen needs to get their head out of the sand or wherever else it might be stuck.
How does one claim to have such knowledge? Someone who may have been offered such a bribe who has a strong moral character and ethics may have told someone for the purpose of protecting themselves from being associated with such crimes. Some admissions were supposedly made through lips made loose by means of alcohol and by more than one person 'elected' to serve the tribe.
Fred Paquin met his fate because of so-called rumors and gossip that proved to be true. Is it possible a director or another person of influence was asked to take a bribe and declined but fears the consequences? Could some of the comments regarding bribes be the avenue chosen by the messenger?
I invite any member of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors to explain, in full detail, the deal they are attempting to make and be prepared to answer each and every question and have the proper documents to back up their answers. The last time I observed such a question being asked was at a board meeting in St. Ignace where Bernard Bouschor, the Master of Secrecy, instructed the board not to discuss financial matters in front of the audience of Sault Tribe citizens.
So here you are Sault Tribe board members...address this recent comment:
i heard the bod members that voted for romulus were promised a million dollars to split if they got the vote to go their way even kathy got her split they had it worked out so kathy looked as though she was against it and joe would be the tie breaker it is her election coming up you know and whats this stuff i am hearing from the got swag crowd half the bod is raising money for russes legal fees and us fishermen do not get no help i can not wait till next election
Too many decisions have been made that have little to do with the best interests of the tribe. Too many under-the-table, back-room-deals have been rumored to have occurred over the span of several years including the barge deal, the Greektown plan that enabled a whole lot of somebodies except the Sault Tribe to benefit, 30 some odd businesses built under Bouschor in which ALL 'failed' and let's not forget the 2.7 million dollar deal that was constructed in secret. Anyone that expresses shock or disbelief that secret deals and bribery could happen needs to get their head out of the sand or wherever else it might be stuck.
How does one claim to have such knowledge? Someone who may have been offered such a bribe who has a strong moral character and ethics may have told someone for the purpose of protecting themselves from being associated with such crimes. Some admissions were supposedly made through lips made loose by means of alcohol and by more than one person 'elected' to serve the tribe.
Fred Paquin met his fate because of so-called rumors and gossip that proved to be true. Is it possible a director or another person of influence was asked to take a bribe and declined but fears the consequences? Could some of the comments regarding bribes be the avenue chosen by the messenger?
I invite any member of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors to explain, in full detail, the deal they are attempting to make and be prepared to answer each and every question and have the proper documents to back up their answers. The last time I observed such a question being asked was at a board meeting in St. Ignace where Bernard Bouschor, the Master of Secrecy, instructed the board not to discuss financial matters in front of the audience of Sault Tribe citizens.
So here you are Sault Tribe board members...address this recent comment:
i heard the bod members that voted for romulus were promised a million dollars to split if they got the vote to go their way even kathy got her split they had it worked out so kathy looked as though she was against it and joe would be the tie breaker it is her election coming up you know and whats this stuff i am hearing from the got swag crowd half the bod is raising money for russes legal fees and us fishermen do not get no help i can not wait till next election
WE EXCEEDED OUR GOAL
Success! We received 339 signatures when only 100 are needed to put this issue [whether or not to do business with the former Greek partner] to a referendum vote of the Sault Tribe Members.The survey results below suggest some Board Members need to wake up or face being outsted in the next election. A whopping 99% of the respondents [out of over 700] have said they would not re-elect someone who voted for this deal.
RESULTS SO FAR... ADD YOUR VOICE!
Click here to take the survey.
Those Tribal Board Members who voted for this who are up for re-election in 2012 include: Bernard Bouschor, Lana Causley, Pat Rickley, Joe Eitrem and Joe McCoy.
To see a brief power point show, click here. and for the survey slides click here.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Introductions's Fell Flat at The Elder's Holiday Dinner
Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...Introductions fell flat at the Dream Catcher's Theater Tuesday night where several hundred elders from the Eastern Upper Peninsula gathered to enjoy their annual holiday dinner. There was some speculation that all the old folks were just too tired to applaud.
However, the lack of enthusiasm was more likely brought on by other reasons. Over the years the elder's dinner has been a bell-weather indicating how tribal administration is doing and with that being the case, the McCoy administration isn't doing very well.
Chairman McCoy himself looked as though he wasn't doing well either. Perhaps the chairman needs to take a sleeping pill. He looked tired and disheveled and as though he was struggling to overcome something. Stumbling and bumbling at the podium while delivering his speech, the chairman didn't make much of an impression.
Vice Chairman Causley: well she was busy working the crowd. Tall and stiff, head held back a tad too far, she looked as though she was trying to live something down. Imagine that?
Director Boushor, he was there. Back and center. A few from his camp were with him. They had a fire going and were standing around it. They were overheard saying how they might sue the tribe to have it pay their legal bills...should it be so brazen as to appeal the 7+2 case. After all, they reason, they spent a half a million of their own money defending themselves. So certainly they're entitled to ask for it back. They were real happy however with how their expensive teams of lawyers manipulated the legal system and loved the message that the jurors sent out to their fellows citizens: if you're being harassed in your workplace it's all right to steal millions of dollars from your employer as compensation.
Director Pine was seen busily working the crowd too. Director Pine was.............seen back and center............?
Director's Malloy and Abramson visited their constituents...on the peripheral margins. Could it be they were avoiding the back and center. Very likely,yes it could? There's been noticeable divisions between the back and center and the front and center and the peripheral margin's lately. Some having speculated they're deep and may never heal. Oh, my...
Directors Massaway and Rickley. Of course, eh? Front and center, huh? Lovely twosome. Where else? You have to love them both and love the red shirts they wear to the dinners. What wonderful spirits they are. Neither of them left their seats except for a brief and enthusiastic appearance on stage to present a deserving constituent with a citizenship award. Aah that food was so gooood....
Who got the biggest hand...the food servers of course. Them and the cooks, they both did a wonderful job...and the rafters were made to rattled in their honor...the old folks had to reach deep, but they found the wherewithal to do it...
Alert, alert, alert...Chairman McCoy acting on behalf of all of his dear and loved constituents near and far and all across the grand sweep of this great nation, met the challenge and notified each and every one of them to be on their guard against inaccurate email messages...that they are being sent out on computers...ooh...and that they're not to be believed, says the savvy Chairman. Please, please he warns, call your directors first before you talk to anybody else...to learn the w h o l e truth about whatever.
About the other reasons for all those flat intro's...consider this half a dozen or so: within the last couple of years our intrepid directors have loss an eight million dollar casino. And they've subsequently re-upped for another Greek Giveaway. Isn't twice burned supposed to be the limit? The tribe has already had The Barge and Greektown...so what gives? Huh? Huh? Huh?
Don't forget the solar deal in Mexico. Yes, Mexico. What if something goes wrong with that deal. Will the tribe get its money back? Mexico isn't in the United States. It never has been...be careful where you're getting your info...okay?
Well, back to the Greek Giveaway. Mr. Gatzaros made only seventy million off Greektown. Rumor has it that director Boushor got a check every month in the mail under its letterhead. Moreover, it's been substantiated that other checks-in-the mail-deals are currently being offered...to who, to who else? to the the tribe's most wonderful and influential citizens of course...who else? Well....?
Of course there's good citizen director Boushor. He's still taking the tribe for everything he can get. He wants his legal fees paid by it now. He beat it out of two and a half million and he wants it to pay for his and his co-conspirators defense...just a mere five hundred thousand dollars more. Hardly anything to be concerned about, right? He deserves it, right? Right?
And of course the referendums. Former director McKelvie did a good job of collecting petitions to bring the Mexican deal to a vote...and former chairman Payment has likewise done a great job with the third go-around with Mr. Gatzaros...the new Greek Giveaway.
So it's no wonder the elders weren't happy campers at the dinner. Not only was there all that stuff mentioned above to give them heartburn...but they had to put up with all the tribal politicians in their faces...all the while they were trying to swallow their turkey. Could they be the reason why they weren't buying. Or was it that the politicians were pretending that all was honky dory and they weren't having anything to do with it? Very likely...
Politicians were bombarding them with all the reasons for them to be thankful to the tribe for all the wonderful things that it was doing for them and they just weren't having a darn thing to do with any of it...
...how ungrateful of those oldsters, eh?
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
However, the lack of enthusiasm was more likely brought on by other reasons. Over the years the elder's dinner has been a bell-weather indicating how tribal administration is doing and with that being the case, the McCoy administration isn't doing very well.
Chairman McCoy himself looked as though he wasn't doing well either. Perhaps the chairman needs to take a sleeping pill. He looked tired and disheveled and as though he was struggling to overcome something. Stumbling and bumbling at the podium while delivering his speech, the chairman didn't make much of an impression.
Vice Chairman Causley: well she was busy working the crowd. Tall and stiff, head held back a tad too far, she looked as though she was trying to live something down. Imagine that?
Director Boushor, he was there. Back and center. A few from his camp were with him. They had a fire going and were standing around it. They were overheard saying how they might sue the tribe to have it pay their legal bills...should it be so brazen as to appeal the 7+2 case. After all, they reason, they spent a half a million of their own money defending themselves. So certainly they're entitled to ask for it back. They were real happy however with how their expensive teams of lawyers manipulated the legal system and loved the message that the jurors sent out to their fellows citizens: if you're being harassed in your workplace it's all right to steal millions of dollars from your employer as compensation.
Director Pine was seen busily working the crowd too. Director Pine was.............seen back and center............?
Director's Malloy and Abramson visited their constituents...on the peripheral margins. Could it be they were avoiding the back and center. Very likely,yes it could? There's been noticeable divisions between the back and center and the front and center and the peripheral margin's lately. Some having speculated they're deep and may never heal. Oh, my...
Directors Massaway and Rickley. Of course, eh? Front and center, huh? Lovely twosome. Where else? You have to love them both and love the red shirts they wear to the dinners. What wonderful spirits they are. Neither of them left their seats except for a brief and enthusiastic appearance on stage to present a deserving constituent with a citizenship award. Aah that food was so gooood....
Who got the biggest hand...the food servers of course. Them and the cooks, they both did a wonderful job...and the rafters were made to rattled in their honor...the old folks had to reach deep, but they found the wherewithal to do it...
Alert, alert, alert...Chairman McCoy acting on behalf of all of his dear and loved constituents near and far and all across the grand sweep of this great nation, met the challenge and notified each and every one of them to be on their guard against inaccurate email messages...that they are being sent out on computers...ooh...and that they're not to be believed, says the savvy Chairman. Please, please he warns, call your directors first before you talk to anybody else...to learn the w h o l e truth about whatever.
About the other reasons for all those flat intro's...consider this half a dozen or so: within the last couple of years our intrepid directors have loss an eight million dollar casino. And they've subsequently re-upped for another Greek Giveaway. Isn't twice burned supposed to be the limit? The tribe has already had The Barge and Greektown...so what gives? Huh? Huh? Huh?
Don't forget the solar deal in Mexico. Yes, Mexico. What if something goes wrong with that deal. Will the tribe get its money back? Mexico isn't in the United States. It never has been...be careful where you're getting your info...okay?
Well, back to the Greek Giveaway. Mr. Gatzaros made only seventy million off Greektown. Rumor has it that director Boushor got a check every month in the mail under its letterhead. Moreover, it's been substantiated that other checks-in-the mail-deals are currently being offered...to who, to who else? to the the tribe's most wonderful and influential citizens of course...who else? Well....?
Of course there's good citizen director Boushor. He's still taking the tribe for everything he can get. He wants his legal fees paid by it now. He beat it out of two and a half million and he wants it to pay for his and his co-conspirators defense...just a mere five hundred thousand dollars more. Hardly anything to be concerned about, right? He deserves it, right? Right?
And of course the referendums. Former director McKelvie did a good job of collecting petitions to bring the Mexican deal to a vote...and former chairman Payment has likewise done a great job with the third go-around with Mr. Gatzaros...the new Greek Giveaway.
So it's no wonder the elders weren't happy campers at the dinner. Not only was there all that stuff mentioned above to give them heartburn...but they had to put up with all the tribal politicians in their faces...all the while they were trying to swallow their turkey. Could they be the reason why they weren't buying. Or was it that the politicians were pretending that all was honky dory and they weren't having anything to do with it? Very likely...
Politicians were bombarding them with all the reasons for them to be thankful to the tribe for all the wonderful things that it was doing for them and they just weren't having a darn thing to do with any of it...
...how ungrateful of those oldsters, eh?
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
MOTION DENIED!
Fred Paquin must be shaking in his boots right now. The judge has denied another request by Paquin's attorney for an adjournment of sentencing. According to the United States District Judge, R. Allan Edgar, counsel for Paquin has had ample time to prepare for the sentencing hearing.
Fred, you did the crime and now you are going to do the time. Maybe the Sault Tribe will finally see some justice in return for the crimes committed by at least one of our renowned criminals.
Merry Christmas to us.
Lynne Weaver
Fred, you did the crime and now you are going to do the time. Maybe the Sault Tribe will finally see some justice in return for the crimes committed by at least one of our renowned criminals.
Merry Christmas to us.
Lynne Weaver
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Chairman Crosses the Line
Charges must be filed against the Chairman.
He has no authority to create "new" rules for a referendum.
He is violating your civil rights.
File an official complaint with the tribal police.
Don't be bluffed!
Get the required signatures in, on time.
(1) An ordinance or resolution enacted by the Board of Directors shall be submitted
to a popular referendum upon petition of at least one hundred (100) eligible voters of the
Tribe presented to the Board in accordance with this section.
The petition shall bear the name and address of each signatory in legible form. The name
and address of the person circulating the petition shall also be included.
(3) All petitions must be received at the main administrative office of the Tribe, 523
Ashmun Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, by no later than the close of business of the next
business day following the expiration of thirty (30) calendar days from the date of enactment
of the ordinance or resolution of the Board of Directors which is the subject of the petition.
This provision is mandatory and jurisdictional.
Each petition submitted must contain the
original signatures; no copies, duplications or facsimiles may be submitted.
(1) The result of any referendum election in which at least thirty percent (30%) of the
eligible voters case ballots shall be valid and binding and conclusive upon the Tribe
Charges must be filed against the Chairman.
He has no authority to create "new" rules for a referendum.
He is violating your civil rights.
File an official complaint with the tribal police.
RJanetos
He has no authority to create "new" rules for a referendum.
He is violating your civil rights.
File an official complaint with the tribal police.
Don't be bluffed!
Get the required signatures in, on time.
(1) An ordinance or resolution enacted by the Board of Directors shall be submitted
to a popular referendum upon petition of at least one hundred (100) eligible voters of the
Tribe presented to the Board in accordance with this section.
The petition shall bear the name and address of each signatory in legible form. The name
and address of the person circulating the petition shall also be included.
(3) All petitions must be received at the main administrative office of the Tribe, 523
Ashmun Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, by no later than the close of business of the next
business day following the expiration of thirty (30) calendar days from the date of enactment
of the ordinance or resolution of the Board of Directors which is the subject of the petition.
This provision is mandatory and jurisdictional.
Each petition submitted must contain the
original signatures; no copies, duplications or facsimiles may be submitted.
(1) The result of any referendum election in which at least thirty percent (30%) of the
eligible voters case ballots shall be valid and binding and conclusive upon the Tribe
Charges must be filed against the Chairman.
He has no authority to create "new" rules for a referendum.
He is violating your civil rights.
File an official complaint with the tribal police.
RJanetos
Chairman McCoy Manipulates the Referendum Process
Sault Ste. Marie, Mi...If Chairman McCoy throws another roadblock in front of tribal members exercising their constitutional rights, he's going to be fired. He told members that they could have only one packet of petitions and that it had to be stamped with a raised seal.
Come to find out the chairman was wrong. He was pulling a fast one on the membership and breaking the law doing it...if that means anything to him...while limiting the number of petitions available to them for a referendum on whether to go forward with the new Romulus casino...
...otherwise known as the new Greek Deal, or the Greek Giveaway.
The chairman's action has all the earmarks of obstructing the membership's right of referendum. The raised seal prevented them from emailing the petitions to friends and family, relatives and fellow tribal members...to be signed and returned. They would have had to be sent by mail. What's more, he wanted the petitioner to be there when the petition was signed. That too would have prevented the petitioner from using his computer to petition for a referendum.
Section twelve of the constitution is clear about it. There's no mention of either of the chairman's rules. He's guilty of manipulating the process for his own political purposes and the election committee should step up and do something about it.
Well, what about it? The election committee isn't going to lift a hand. Either is the board going to. The chairman has fired lots of members for a lot less. Is he even going to explain his wrongdoing and ask the membership for their understanding and forgiveness. Does he even have any remorse at all for perpetrating this dastardly deed? Should he be fired...?
...you darn right he should. The next time you see him, fire him on the spot.
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
I bet we could start a petition to do just that. Lying to the members and violating the constitution by denying us our rights! Why do we have to get petitions from McCoy anyway? Whose tribe is this...his or ours?
Lynne Weaver
Come to find out the chairman was wrong. He was pulling a fast one on the membership and breaking the law doing it...if that means anything to him...while limiting the number of petitions available to them for a referendum on whether to go forward with the new Romulus casino...
...otherwise known as the new Greek Deal, or the Greek Giveaway.
The chairman's action has all the earmarks of obstructing the membership's right of referendum. The raised seal prevented them from emailing the petitions to friends and family, relatives and fellow tribal members...to be signed and returned. They would have had to be sent by mail. What's more, he wanted the petitioner to be there when the petition was signed. That too would have prevented the petitioner from using his computer to petition for a referendum.
Section twelve of the constitution is clear about it. There's no mention of either of the chairman's rules. He's guilty of manipulating the process for his own political purposes and the election committee should step up and do something about it.
Well, what about it? The election committee isn't going to lift a hand. Either is the board going to. The chairman has fired lots of members for a lot less. Is he even going to explain his wrongdoing and ask the membership for their understanding and forgiveness. Does he even have any remorse at all for perpetrating this dastardly deed? Should he be fired...?
...you darn right he should. The next time you see him, fire him on the spot.
Thank you, Charles Forgrave
I bet we could start a petition to do just that. Lying to the members and violating the constitution by denying us our rights! Why do we have to get petitions from McCoy anyway? Whose tribe is this...his or ours?
Lynne Weaver
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