Monday, 26 May 1997
From: Orvel Baldridge
To: news@kjrh.com

The following was emailed to Mr. Strout, one of 27 attorneys representing Chief Joe Byrd in his attempt at coup d'etat of the Cherokee Nation....

Mr. Strout:

Your objection to KJRH news coverage of the Cherokee Nation's crisis and your reference to the Cherokee Observer as an internet "whining", etc. reflects your same attitude about the highest court in the Cherokee Nation, the Judicial Appeals Tribunal and Indian people in general.

Your disrespect of our court, and Native Americans in general became clear with your participation in the ludicrous "illegal" court of removal that tried to impeach three honorable men who have served our Nation for over 20 years.

Does it bother you that there are thousands of Cherokees, who by the way are NOT getting paid an hourly legal fee, have valid opinions about the failure of your client, Joe Byrd's leadership. If he were "impeached" or "arrested" would this stop your legal fees? Just what is your "sudden" interest in Cherokee Nation affairs?

Have you taken legal courses in the "legal" history of the Cherokee Nation? Just what qualifies you to be such an expert on Indian law and the Cherokee Nation Constitution?

Are you aware of the fact that your client was neither elected, nor appointed as Chief of this tribe. He is a "default" Chief with 29% of the vote. He represents only 12% of the registered Cherokee voters?

Have you even spoken to our Justices, the tribal prosecutor or the marshals? Have you been out to the communities and listened to our people?

Surely you are smarter than this Mr. Strout. Without the Cherokee Observer, and other newspapers of standing including the Tulsa World, The Daily Oklahoman, Forbes, the Washington Post and many others who are willing to get both sides of this "constitutional" crisis... the attempt at coup d'etat in 5 easy steps would have been over and done with, and no one would have been the wiser. Have you read the Cherokee Advocate being published by the Byrd Administration? If you have not, please do, then come back here and tell us that it is not biased.

Since you represent a client who has been accused of "misappropriation of tribal and federal funds", we wonder if your "whining" about the KJRH News and the Cherokee Observer news reports in reality comes down to your vested interest?

Orvel Baldridge
naitca@fullnet.net