News you can use
News you can use
The Chippewa Cree Tribe’s Health Board has suspended Fawn Tadios without pay as the Rocky Boy Clinic’s executive director.
Tadios was charged June 5 with several felony counts of embezzling funds from the tribe. She pleaded not guilty in federal court in Great Falls Tuesday.
Tim Rosette, who has experience at the clinic, has been named interim executive director.
Health Board Chair Ted Whitford called the allegations against Tadios “a very serious concern.”
“We are cooperating with federal agents as well as numerous auditors while conducting an internal investigation,” he said in a press release, dated last Wednesday and emailed to the Havre Daily News Saturday.
“It is an unfortunate situation and will be a difficult time for our community,” Whitford said in a prepared statement on the Chippewa Creek website.
Whitford was speaking of Tadios’ charges and those filed in April against other tribal leaders as well as others on and off the reservation.
“The charges filed against Tadios are among a number of allegations against other tribal officials in what appears to be a large-scale effort of various federal agencies to place the Chippewa Cree Tribe under extraordinary scrutiny,” the tribe said in the press release.
Federal authorities have been all over the Rocky Boy reservation in recent months.
Several residents have told the Havre Daily News they have been interviewed by FBI or representatives of the inspectors general from several federal departments within the past week.
Business Committee Acting Chair Rick Morsette promised better financial reporting and accountability.
“We are taking action and amending policies and procedures throughout numerous departments so these things don’t continue to happen,” he said.
The reservation’s political scene has been in turmoil since the investigations started.
Tribal Chair Ken Blatt St. Marks have been removed from office by the council. Council members said that happened because he abused his office, but St. marks said it was because he was working with federal authorities to expose corruption.
Reader Comments(1)
Powerofpeople writes:
First off, I pray Mr Rosette will do his father proud. Second this sheds light on the creditability of Mrs Tadios' charges against the former Chairman as well as the honesty of our sitting Council Members in justifying Ken St. Marks' removal. It has to be difficult to keep a straight face when acting indignant about the ongoing investigation and how hard you are working to correct your own mismanagement, most of these abuses have been going on under many of our current council's tenure.
06/25/2013, 8:53 am