Category Archives: Local

Cherokee corruption revealed, oversight disinvited

By David Arnett

Jeffery Pletcher

News Analysis: On Wednesday June 17, Jeffery Pletcher, former senior director of marketing for the Hard Rock Casino in Tulsa posted video testimony of political corruption he witnessed. In an exclusive interview with Tulsa Today, Pletcher said he has also provided this testimony and further documentation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cherokee National Gaming Commission and the Department of Justice’s U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma Danny C. Williams.

This comes one day after the Cherokee Election Commission informed the internationally recognized Carter Center of the decision by the Commission not to extend an invitation to observe the upcoming Cherokee elections.

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Barnett to represent Muscogee Creek Nation

By Staff Report

2015 Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation Shannon Barnett (right) and Jr. Miss MCN Madeline Gouge (left) were crowned at the MCN Scholarship Pageant June 6.

Muscogee (Creek) citizen Shannon Barnett was crowned Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation June 6 at the MCN Scholarship Pageant in the Mvskoke Dome in Okmulgee.

Muscogee (Creek) citizen Madeline Gouge was crowned Jr. Miss MCN.

Eight contestants competed to be named Miss MCN, and four for Jr. Miss MCN.
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BBB lawsuit claims Rick Brinkley embezzled

By Staff Report

Sen. Rick Brinkley

The Tulsa World is reporting today a lawsuit filed late Friday afternoon by the Better Business Bureau alleging State Sen. Rick Brinkley embezzled more than $1 million during his 15 years as an executive with the organization.

The BBB says Brinkley set up corporate entities to receive payments for phony credit card accounts and other alleged business expenses. It also alleges that Brinkley funneled money from his state campaign fund to a phony vendor.

The suit, filed in Tulsa County District Court, alleges that Brinkley used the embezzled funds to “pay his mortgage, pool cleaner, personal credit card invoices, and to support a hidden gambling habit,” as reported by Randy Krehbiel, long a political reporter for the daily paper.

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Chief Baker’s board replacement performance

By The Cherokee Voice

Editor’s Note: Stories on the hotly contested Cherokee Nation races inspired an employee of Cherokee Nation Business (CNB) to assert that Tulsa Today was following an online publication called The Cherokee Voice. We had never visited the site, but found they were following our stories. We return the compliment here as they review the financial record of the CNB Board.

Cherokee Voice took a look at the turnover of the CNB Board and what it seems their priorities have been, namely not hiring a CEO (three years and counting on the search) and buying expensive golf courses from their own board members.

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Chief Baker’s rush to compact

By David Arnett

Analysis: Cherokee Principal Chief Bill John Baker this Friday has invited guests to witness as he signs away long-held Cherokee Nation hunting and fishing rights in return for giving the State of Oklahoma an estimated $300,000 to $500,000 per year by compact.

There is a planned committee meeting then a Council Meeting Thursday. Invitations to a compact signing ceremony have been mailed for the Friday event, but details on the compact may not be fully or broadly known until it is law.

Former Principal Chief and candidate in the current race, Chief Chad Smith asserted in 2006 that based on the 1975 Menominee vs. US decision, holding a “blue card” is all the hunting and fishing license any Cherokee needs in the fourteen counties comprising the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.

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