Rocky Boy council backs Juneau, makes donation

The Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation has voted to endorse Democratic congressional candidate Denise Juneau and make a $5,400 donation to her campaign, the maximum amount allowed under law.

Five members of the tribe's Business Committee were present to vote on the resolution brought up at the committee's June 2 meeting.

The resolution initially passed 3-2 with the support of committee members Ted Whitford, Dustin Whitford and Teddy Russette III. Committee member Calvin Jilot initially opposed the measure because he thought the tribe couldn't afford it, but later said he changed his vote after he found out that the tribe could afford it.

Several committee members and Chairman Ken St. Marks, who in his position does not vote on resolutions, said they could not say for sure who the dissenting vote was.

Three other members were not present.

Juneau, who is the state superintendent of public instruction, is running to unseat Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican, in the fall race for Montana's only congressional seat.

If elected Juneau, who is a member of the Blackfeet Tribe, would be the first American Indian woman in U.S. history to be elected to Congress.

The money for the contribution will come from the tribe's general fund, said Richard Sangrey, chief of staff for the Chippewa Cree.

Although there is widespread admiration for Juneau, who visited the reservation last month, and her bid for Congress, St. Marks acknowledged such a move could be unpopular.

"We probably will catch hell over that," he said after the meeting.

Ted Whitford, who made the motion to make the donation, said Thursday that if there is such criticism he hasn't received any.

In her last bid for re-election as superintendent of public instruction in 2012, Juneau received the formal backing of the Business Committee, but did not receive a donation.

Juneau has received endorsements from several tribes in Montana including from the Sioux Assiniboine of Fort Peck's Indian Reservation and the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation