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St. Marks wins Rocky Boy special election

Ousted tribal council chair back in

The man the tribal council at Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation removed from its chair is back on.

In a special election for the chair of the Chippewa Cree Tribe’s Business Committee, voters elected Ken Blatt St. Marks with 453 votes.

St. Marks could not be reached for comment this morning.

Richard “Ricky” Morsette, who with the other committee members unanimously voted March 25 to remove St. Marks from office, came in second with 315 votes.

Former council vice chair and current state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy was third with 192 votes.

Curtis A. Monteaux Jr. received 108 votes, Bert Corcoran 32 votes and Luanne Belcourt 16 votes.

 
 

Reader Comments(10)

ndearone writes:

Kenny has worked hard. My family had to go back to the polls. AGAIN! This time we were armed with another who turned 18. My brother took money from Ricky Morsette and Ricky Morsette lost. So much for buying votes. AT least, I know that me and my children, and my husband didn't take money from anyone. Ken Blatt St. Marks has a lot on his shoulders and my family will do what we can to support him. IT WOULD be nice if the fellow Council do the same.

Stuart Smith writes:

If Windy Boy and Curtis would not have run Ricky would have won big time over Kenny.When will people learn?

powerofpeople writes:

Kev, I’m not trying to convince anyone & skin color won’t change my opinion but it would let others who read your comments know if you have a dog in this fight or are just spewing hateful rhetoric. We the members have had enough & the Chairman will be held accountable or be recalled. You suggest penalizing an entire community by reversing the Treaty obligation of the Govt to provide financial compensation for taking Indian lands that’s racist. Can we be done since I've shown my skin color

Kevin writes:

PowerofPeople Nothing will change who are you trying to convince that this will not continue to happen. Actions speak louder than words until I see change I will be lead to believe that nothing will change on the reservation. I know plenty of people that work on the reservation Ken is no differnet than the rest he will continue to create made up jobs for his cousins and family, and provide them with new cadillacs using tribal money its already happened.

Kevin writes:

PowerofPeople. I realize there are 1000 of hard working people on the reservation and I feel very sorry for those people and how they have been represented by their coucil. However I am sick and tired of this happening every year or every other year and for you to think that 1 person is going to fix the fraud and theft on the reservation that is wishful thinking. My skin color does not matter that carries no significance to this situation. If I was Native or White would it change your opinion?

POWEROFPEOPLE writes:

Sadly an idea that Ken can fix anything isn't progress. It's up to the members to stay engaged in the movement that is started. To change how the BC governs you still need to amend the Constitution. Control salaries, term limits, # of BC members or qualifications? It is up to the members to limit those. Provide protections so that there is a separation of power between the Judicial Branch and the BC. It's not surprising that the past councils wanted control over the courts is it? PATICIPATE!!!!!

powerofpeople writes:

Who is this Kevin Guy? A Tribal member? Then calm down & let this run its course. Some white guy? Spouting a bigoted opinion w/o evidence he needs to be quiet. Yes, things are broken on our “Rez” but there are 1000s of honest hard-working people who live here & don’t deserve the racist stereotyping from surrounding voices. St Marks was re-elected by a majority to finish the job he started. Give him the benefit of doubt that he has honest intentions & will use more diplomacy & transparency.

Kevin writes:

The Res is a joke. What a waste of time and tax money to go through this process to come up with the same result. Next year we will be reading about St. Marks embezzlement charges. Does it matter who is on the council?? Whoever it was who won this election would continue to steal federal money its the way of life on the Res, it will never change until they are cut off.

Justice writes:

Maybe Ken can fix this!!!How can there be 70 percent unemployment when the council members are paid 90 thousand dollars for wages.

finally writes:

Sic 'em Ken. Now to see if the rest of this weak group of 'men' will use some common sense and remove the rest of the crooks before the FBI hauls them away. The tribal council needs to think of their families at this time, these crooks will be spending a lot of time away from home for a few years. for their remaining time around here, the tribal council should relieve them of the burden of their positions so they could spend their remaining free time with their families.

 
 
 
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