News from the Quapaw Nation:
The Oklahoma-based Nation’s Business Committee has disqualifed former Quapaw leader John Berrey as a commitee candidate in this year’s election.
This is the latest chapter in a saga that began with Berrey’s re-election defeat last year and subsequent allegations by the new leaders of misspending by Berrey as he led the Nation’s successful drive to expand casino gambling in Arkansas and establishment of the Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff. He has disputed the allegations.
The Committee later issued a news release elaborating on the decision, including a recitaiton of pending charges against Berrey on the spending issue. It included this supporting document for the decision.
UPDATE: Berrey says that the committee didn’t want him to run because they were afraid he’d expose their corruption. He contends money has been distributed in ways to favor insiders. Though he can’t appeal his exclusion from the election, he said he can speak July 4 at a general tribal meeting and he and others plan to do so.