Leech Lake Tribal Council orders LaRose to respond to charges

By Brad Swenson

Pioneer Staff Writer

      Embroiled Leech Lake Tribal Secretary-Treasurer Arthur “Archie” LaRose was ordered Thursday to respond to charges of malfeasance and dereliction of duty.

      The Leech Lake Tribal Council, at a special meeting Thursday, accepted a petition to remove or recall LaRose and set Wednesday for a special meeting to have the secretary-treasurer respond to charges.

      In a statement issued late Thursday, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Interim Tribal Executive Director Sally Morrison said that new Leech Lake Tribal Chairman George Goggleye Jr., and a majority of the Tribal Council, took the petition and set the formal hearing.

      The petition, first submitted in December 2002, had laid idle since. Tribal elections last month, however, ousted Tribal Chairman Peter White and seated a new Tribal Council representative, Donald “Mick” Finn.

      White had taken office in a special election after Leech Lake voters recalled Tribal Chairman Eli Hunt, a move supported by LaRose. After that, a petition to do the same for LaRose was submitted.

      “After former Chairman Peter White was installed, the petitioners did not receive formal response with their due process,” Morrison said in the statement.

      Thursday’s special meeting came as an informal teleconference was held with Norman Deschampe, chairman of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, all Leech Lake Tribal Council members and legal counsel of both.

      “… it was determined the petitioners will receive their long-awaited due process,” the statement said. “The petition was served to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tribal Council in December 2002. Arthur ‘Archie’ LaRose used court orders to receive his due process for scrutiny of the petition signers.”

      But no action was taken after White took office.

      Now, LaRose will response to three charges at the formal hearing, 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Palace Casino Paradise Room.

      The charges include malfeasance in handling of tribal affairs, dereliction or neglect of duty and refusal to comply with ay provisions of the constitution and bylaws of the tribe. All were cited as alleged violations of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe constitution and bylaws.

      A Leech Lake Tribal Court judge issued an order June 22 quashing efforts by LaRose and White to deny other Tribal Council members access to tribal documents. White was defeated by Goggleye June 8, and he resigned June 14.

      Remaining Tribal Council members had sought the order, alleging that LaRose was destroying documents and misappropriating funds.

      But while the judge ordered no records to be removed, destroyed or altered and that no one have access to offices after regular hours without written permission, she also ordered that LaRose be allowed to perform his duties as secretary-treasurer.

      The conferring officials Thursday also determined that the issue was the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe’s to solve, that LaRose cannot appeal the recall petition to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

      “It was further determined this particular matter is strictly a Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe concern and Norman Deschampe and counsel stated the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe does not possess an appeal process” for LaRose, the statement said.

      Goggleye, in the statement, said that “this is a Leech Lake matter and this Tribal Council will allow the petitioners their due process.”