Northern Cheyenne Council votes to remove President Gene Small

On Thursday, October 1st, the re-installed Tribal Council voted unanimously to impeach/remove Tribal President Gene Small from office.  The meeting was chaired by Tribal Vice-President, Ernest Little Mouth, Sr. The events surrounding that development were rather chaotic. This article is based upon Facebook posts, postings from the tribal website and interviews with credible tribal members, because it has been futile to contact officials on either side.

 

Due to the political climate, tribal members do not want to named, for fear of retaliation, either to themselves, their family and especially their children.

“If offended, Tribal officials can and will reach out to touch you” one said.

For example, this writer, an enrolled member has been cautioned about penning this article; however, it is important to preserve a record of such political events which have never occurred before within the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. 

Whether the impeachment will take effect is the question. For the past year, the BIA has refused to approve any resolutions of the Tribal Council which is necessary under the Tribal Constitution and federal law. Without BIA approval, tribal actions are null and void.

The events leading to this situation are very confusing and hard to summarize. Over the past year, a political revolution has been in force on the Northern Cheyenne reservation, apparently with disastrous results. It started in 2024 when Small was elected as President. His first agenda was calling for a forensic audit about the expenditure of some 90 million in COVID related funds.

“I look around this Reservation and don’t see 90 million in improvements,” he stated in his campaign.

Apparently, the voters agreed.

Initially the Tribal Council approved that, but as results trickled in, recanted. When Small vetoed that action, they attempted to remove him, an action then disapproved by the BIA.

Small, a follower of tradition, appealed to the traditional Chiefs.  They convened and decided to physically oust eight of the duly elected Tribal Council and accomplished that in a very dramatic fashion in the fall of 2025.  They then served as a temporary Council, initially recognized by the BIA, which later recanted. That group called for another election which was not exactly in line with the Tribal Constitution which outlines the election procedures. Thus, came about another Tribal Council.

In the meantime, the ousted Council members who have been dubbed the “hateful eight” appealed to the courts, an action in line with the IRA constitution, re-instated them, an action opposed by Small. Then the ‘eight’ in the past few days has attempted to assume their duties, opposed by Small and supporters. That is when they resumed another meeting, outside the Tribal office and voted unanimously to remove Small, based upon what they claim was some 90 complaints against the President, but not adhering to the tribal ordinance which sets out a clear procedure for such action, requiring formal notice; an opportunity for the accused to obtain legal counsel; a hearing overseen by an independent hearing official and so forth.  So far, Small has not accepted the re-instated Council action.

Thus, on Friday and the following Monday, the Tribal Office was closed down. What will happen next? Hard to tell. The political revolution is apparently not going as planned. In the meantime, an election for a new Tribal Council is planned for November 4th. Two elections are proposed: one by the tradition wing and one by the “eight”. Tribal members are confused about that. As one tribal member asked, “I want to vote for some on the eight slate and some on the Chief slate. Can I do that?”

Nobody could answer that question.

In the meantime, the BIA has been sitting on Tribal resolutions for nearly a year, withholding funds for federal programs until it is determined who on the tribal side has legal authority. That has had disastrous results for the Tribe. President Small recently posted on Facebook – the Tribe is broke.

A short summary of the forensic audit report posted on the Tribal website by Small goes like this: The Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s forensic audit report in 2026 focused on the examination of approximately $90 million in federal COVID-related funds, revealing significant financial discrepancies and prompting political turmoil within the tribal government. This was initiated as a priority of President Gene Small shortly after he took office in November, 2024. The following initially findings were provided to the Tribe and posted on the internet by President Small of those who were found to be in violation. The very long report is complete with check images and many details. However, the significant findings follow:

Kristi Killsnight/Harris (former Tribal Treasurer) – 59,522.58; Melissa Lonebear (Lame Deer District) – 52,024.26; Melissa Fisher (Ashland District)  – 47.095.68; Norma Gourneau  (Busby District) -35, 119.89; Donovan Limberhand (Lame Deer District) – 33. 377.45: Eva Foote (Ashland District) – 18, 670.98; Gwen Spotted Horse/Talawma (Birney District)  – 30, 034/71; Ryhal Rowland (tribal employee, Public Relations Specialist to the Tribal Council – 20. 965.333: Ernest Little Mouth Sr. (Vice-President) – 24.029.70; Debra Charette (Muddy District)   – 23, 201.67; Howard Ontineros (Muddy District) – 10.,892/06; Christian Keene Bends (former Tribal Treasurer and currently BIA Area Director) – 9.475.62; Donna Fisher (former Tribal President) – 1950; Colton Small, tribal employee – 1,950 (no travel fraud); Stephan Raining Bird (Busby District) -0 and Nashone Robinson (Lame Deer District) – 0. The audit also raised serious questions about the use of substantial COVID related funds by two tribal organizations: The Northern Cheyenne Development Corporation then under the direction of Donna Fisher and the Peoples Partners for Progress under the direction of Sharon Small.

The conclusion of the audit reads: the Special Prosecutors submit the main and supportive accounting data to the FBI and tribal leadership for their review and analysis. The evidence assembled to date, including fund ledger data, check images, travel packets, third party conference records, social media records and witness interviews, provide a sufficient factual basis to support referral for filing of tribal charges when appropriate. Applicable statues of limitation under both tribal and federal law are addressed herein. The applicable status of its limitations under the both the tribal and federal laws are addressed herein and do not present a barrier to prevent the Special Prosecutors remain available to provide any additional analysis or materials to further assist on other charges.

Next week, we will take a look at how this political chaos has had a ‘dribble down’ effect upon the Northern Cheyenne tribal members.

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennereview@gmail.com)

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