the People's Voice

Description of Tulsa World Article
of Tuesday, February 10, 1998
by Cherokee Press Association

the People's Voice:
In Reply: Letter To The Editor
By O. G. Baldridge

The Tulsa World carried a headline today, "Tribal Finance Records Are Being Delayed." O.G. Baldridge responded with a letter to the editor.
The paper said that a full accounting of the Cherokee Nation finances might not be available until June, Chief Joe Byrd's administrative assistant said Monday.
Tracy Gourd said the delay is being caused by a computer software problem, which is in the process of being corrected.
There have been problems with tribal software since 1994, which was before Byrd became chief of the tribe, she said.
The software problem is one reason the tribe has had difficulty in determining if a $733,874 transfer from a federal health fund to the general operating account occurred, a tribe official said.
A Tulsa attorney, Chuck Shipley, has implied that the transfer took place and was illegal.
Shipley also has said a second illegal transfer of federal funds to the general operating account might have occurred in the amount of $2.4 million. Byrd has denied that the transfer took place.
Tribal officials said bank accounts indicate that the money came from a motor fuels account.
Gourd said the tribal council has addressed the software deficiencies and the problem will be addressed.
The manufacturer of the software will be asked to assist with the process, she said.

O.G. Balridge's letter to the Tulsa World.

Keep up the good reports on the Cherokee Nation bookkeeping. That "software" problem that Byrd and others keep blaming for all the "confusion" regarding the financial status of the nation is nothing more than a "plausible" smoke screen for what amounts to just plain old mis-management.
There was an expert computer systems and programs employee that worked for the nation when Byrd first took office. He was very concerned that Byrd know that the software program would never work, couldn't work no matter how much money or time was spent trying to make it work. Byrd and Battles had both been warned over and over again that they should stop doing business with the vendor who was making thousands of dollars off the futile attempt to install and later fix the program. They were told that they should take their losses and correct the very serious situation before the tribe lost all it records. For his trouble the employee was fired by Jeannie Battles who had befriended the software representative. This former employee now works in Tulsa in a good job where his expertise is appreciated and respected.
Byrd, Battles and the rest of their cohorts cannot blame anyone but themselves for the material weaknesses that exists in the financial record keeping at the Cherokee Nation. It is not the "computer" it is the people. Professionals would have had their act together by now, computers or no computers. They have had that opportunity since September of 1995.
After the former Cherokee Nation prosecutor, Diane Blalock, found credible evidence last year that there had indeed been misappropriation of federal and tribal funds, and a search warrant was executed that garnered 5 boxes of evidence as part of that ongoing criminal investigation she was fired along with the legitimate federal deputy marshals who executed the search warrant.
None of us have lost sight of the real problem here in the Cherokee Nation. We have a chief who has defied court orders, broken laws, and to this day remains a fugitive at large with 4 warrants for his arrest outstanding.
The BIA has literally aided and abetted his escape from justice by refusing to carry out the orders of the Cherokee Nation's supreme court. That refusal has never been explained although there has been several attempts by Cherokee people to get BIA solicitor Sharon Blackwell and others in the BIA to explain why they have not lived up to their agreement to carry out our tribal court orders.
We see Byrd's rhetoric as attempt to distract the public's attention from the legitimate issue. In Byrd's chief of staff, George Thomas', hand written conspiracy notes that outlined their plan, goal and strategy last spring, we all saw that the main goal, as written, was to keep Byrd from being arrested at all cost. That plan is continuing. Byrd and cohorts have literally broken laws, illegally attempted to overthrow our judicial branch of government, lied, and solicited the aid and assistance of many high profile DNC members here in the state as well as Interior Department staffers and executive level managers such as Hilda Manuel. Hilda Manuel has many questions to answer with regard to why she disregarded due process before sending in the BIA law enforcement that neutralized the legitimate Cherokee Nation Marshals who would have ended up carrying out the court orders and arresting Byrd.
All of this mess begins and ends with Byrd. He could end this entire tragedy if he would just go to court and face up to the charges and accusations against him.
We fully expect that Joe Byrd's rhetoric will perfectly "parrot" mainstream politics. We have watched him over the last year as his DNC cohorts have schooled him on how to avoid a direct answer to a direct question. Why does he get so much time and attention from these particular DNC buddies? Try the original charge that was filed against Byrd for that answer... "illegal contributions to the DNC in 1996."
We can expect to hear half truths, lies and the rest of the "blame it on my political opponents" until Byrd is hauled into court to answer for the legitimate charges against him.
The red-herring, "politics as usual", being hurled around in the media by Byrd is attempt to make sure that the focus never stays on him and the very real and serious legal situation that he is in.
February 25th will mark the first anniversary of Byrd's flight from justice. There are many Cherokees who will be attempting to refocus people's attention on the real issue here. Byrd has got to face his accusations and charges in a court of law. He is a fugitive from justice who has illegally managed to avoid any court of law.
Byrd has failed as a leader and has managed to set our constitutional government back 150 years! The Cherokee people will make sure this never is allowed to happen again.
/S/ O.G. Baldridge

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