Blackfeet judge issues arrest warrant for senator

HELENA (AP) — A Blackfeet judge has issued an arrest warrant for a state senator and tribal leader for not paying his fine for a drunken and reckless driving conviction.

Sen. Shannon Augare says the May 2 warrant issued by Judge Marshalene Last Star is politically motivated.

Augare says in a Tuesday letter to Last Star he paid the $200 fine in December but was submitting another $400 to remove his name from the warrant list.

Tribal attorney Dawn Running Wolf says Augare must appear in court for arraignment. She says there is no record he complied with an October order to buy $200 worth of toys for a Christmas drive.

Augare said Thursday the warrant is driven by an ongoing political dispute among tribal council members that has repeatedly stymied government operations.