St. Marks wins third special election

Ken St. Marks, who has been removed from his position as chairman of the Chippewa Cree Business Committee three times, was elected to the same position for the fourth time since the last general election.

The special election was held Tuesday with the polls open until 8 p.m. There were 626 voters who put in their ballots, and St. Marks' wife, Karen, said the whole thing went smoothly.

The full list of candidates from this most recent special election was Raymond "Jazz" Parker, Ken St. Marks, Warren Paul Small and Ted Whitford Sr.

St. Marks got the greatest number of votes with 280. Whitford came in second with 215, Parker came in third with 116 and Small came in fourth with 15.

St. Marks was impeached the past three times he took his office since 2012.

After he won the last special election, he was impeached on 15 allegations the other members of the business committee accused him of. The special election before that, the list was 11 allegations.

The U.S. Interior Department has ruled that St. Marks was covered under the federal Whistleblower Act, and the tribal council had retaliated against him by impeaching him because he was working with federal prosecutors.

Almost 20 people - reservation residents and their non-reservation cohorts - have faced federal charges for widespread corruption involving theft of tribal funds.

The Interior Department ordered the tribal government to issue St. Marks back pay and to pay him until the end of the term for which he was orginally elected, which was to expire in 2016, so St. Marks will get paid whether he serves or not, unless appeals are made.

The tribe is reportedly planning an appeal to the Interior Department ruling.

Karen St. Marks said Ken was too busy to talk to reporters this morning.

Results of Tuesday's voting:

Ken St. Marks - 280

Ted Whitford Sr. - 215

Raymond "Jazz" Parker - 116

Warren Paul Small - 15