{"id":34022,"date":"2022-06-07T03:27:34","date_gmt":"2022-06-07T08:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/chief-hoskin-signs-cherokee-election-law-reforms-to-further-prohibit-dark-money-in-tribal-politics\/"},"modified":"2022-06-07T03:27:36","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T08:27:36","slug":"chief-hoskin-signs-cherokee-election-law-reforms-to-further-prohibit-dark-money-in-tribal-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/chief-hoskin-signs-cherokee-election-law-reforms-to-further-prohibit-dark-money-in-tribal-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"Chief Hoskin signs Cherokee election law reforms to further prohibit \u2018dark money\u2019 in tribal politics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chief Hoskin signs Cherokee election law reforms to further prohibit \u2018dark money\u2019 in tribal politics<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cherokee Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr.<\/p>\n

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Photo courtesy of the libertybeacon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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WARNER, Okla.\u00a0\u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. officially signed Monday a law to reform the tribe\u2019s election code which included strong provisions to prevent dark money from coming into tribal elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a sovereign nation it is settled law that Cherokee Nation can govern the conduct of its own elections which go to the core of Cherokee democracy,\u201d Chief Hoskin said during the signing. \u201cUnlimited and unregulated cash pouring into our elections, as happened in the 2019 election, is destructive of our precious democracy and this law helps us fight it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the reforms, any \u201cperson or entity\u201d involved in making independent expenditures is subject to criminal sanctions, including up to two years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine and civil penalties of up to $500,000.<\/p>\n

In 2019, the Cherokee Nation Election Commission and Cherokee Nation courts found that Principal Chief candidate David Walkingstick had coordinated with a non-Cherokee group called \u201cCherokees for Change,\u201d an Oklahoma City-based special interest group with no ties to Cherokee Nation.<\/p>\n

Cherokees for Change and Walkingstick, raised an undisclosed amount of money in support of Walkingstick\u2019s campaign without any public disclosure by Walkingstick or \u201cCherokees for Change\u201d and in violation of the tribe\u2019s campaign donation disclosure laws.<\/p>\n

As a result of his unlawful conduct with \u201cCherokees for Change,\u201d Walkingstick was declared ineligible<\/a> by the Cherokee Nation Election Commission and the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court after an investigation and public hearings.<\/p>\n

\u201cCherokee law protected the Cherokee people from unregulated dark money to some extent in 2019,\u201d Chief Hoskin said. \u201cHowever, the law did not result in any accountability for the outside interests who dumped unregulated and undisclosed funds into our elections. This new law will send a message to outside interests that we are a sovereign nation, we have strong laws concerning campaign finance transparency, and that dark money is banned and candidates for office are not up for sale by the highest bidder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deputy Chief Bryan Warner praised the measure as important to public interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrong candidates can and should raise funds, and in a highly regulated and transparent manner, to share their message with the voters. But, the voters should know where every penny of funds comes from. That is how we build trust and accountability,\u201d Deputy Chief Warner said. \u201cThis dark money ban is very much about empowering Cherokee citizens with full knowledge about campaign donations. It is building trust. Chief Hoskin and I certainly trust the Cherokee people and think they are entitled to know who funds political campaigns.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Council of the Cherokee Nation passed the election code reforms by the body\u2019s Rules committee in April and was approved last week at the Council\u2019s regular meeting by a vote of 15-0. Councilors Victoria Vazquez and Wes Nofire were absent.<\/p>\n

Vazquez, a sponsor of the legislation who was absent for final passage due to attending a funeral, praised the measure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was proud to sponsor this measure because I believe in open and fair elections and free speech,\u201d said Vazquez. \u201cIt is impossible to have either if we allow unregulated and unlimited \u2018dark money\u2019 to be dumped into our elections. It is only possible to have fair elections and free speech if we protect our citizens and ensure that the people, not outside corporate interests, control our democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new law is one of several election law reforms signed by Hoskin since 2019, including a measure that made absentee voting easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cElection reform is hard work, but it is important work.\u201d said Councilman Mike Dobbins. \u201cThe Council has literally spent months examining our current law, gathering input and insight from the executive branch and the election commission. As long as we always put the interests of the voters and transparency foremost in our minds, the end result will be good law. This is good law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Council Speaker Mike Shambaugh said the new law sends a strong message to anyone thinking of putting \u201cdark money\u201d into the next Cherokee Nation election.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe message we are sending today is that this is not 2019,\u201d said Shambaugh. \u201cYou won\u2019t get away with corruption. Yes, participate in the process, use your right to speak out, use your right to donate. But, if you do so in a Cherokee election, you must follow Cherokee law and lay everything out for Cherokee citizens to see. This is an exercise of sovereignty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chief Hoskin signed the legislation on Monday evening in Warner as part of a Cherokee community gathering.<\/p>\n

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The post Chief Hoskin signs Cherokee election law reforms to further prohibit \u2018dark money\u2019 in tribal politics<\/a> first appeared on Native Sun News Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Chief Hoskin signs Cherokee election law reforms to further prohibit \u2018dark money\u2019 in tribal politics Cherokee Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. \u00a0 Photo courtesy of the libertybeacon.com WARNER, Okla.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. officially signed Monday a law to reform the tribe\u2019s election code which included strong provisions to <\/p>\n

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Shared by Native Sun News Today<\/a> June 7, 2022<\/p>\n

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