A state lawmaker and a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton tribal council want the South Dakota Legislature to pass a resolution affirming the existence of the Lake Traverse Reservation. Republican Representative Tamara St. John and Dallas Owen, who represents Enemy Swim District, made their remarks Monday during a meeting of the Legislature’s State Tribal Relations Committee at the Sisseton-Wahpeton government’s headquarters. St. John co-chairs the panel. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1975 ruled 6-3 that the Lake Traverse Reservation had been terminated in 1891. A different set of U.S. Supreme Court justices in 2020 however ruled 5-4 in an Oklahoma case that only Congress could change or terminate a treaty.
On Monday, the Oglala Tribal Council held a hearing on a complaint filed by Anita Richards against first term Pass Creek council representative Anna Halverson. The complaint centered on misuse of funds while serving on the Pass Creek district executive board, on not following correct tribal financial procedures. Halverson pointed out the many improvements made in the Pass Creek district, that were made in very difficult circumstances while following tribal policies and procedures and working with the bank and tribal officials. Richards felt Halverson’s actions warranted the council impeaching the representative, that she did not deserve to represent the district, the council felt differently and voted to dismiss the complaint.
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News center.
