White Earth Chairwoman Erma Vizenor a step closer to being removed from office

MAHNOMEN — The Tribal Executive Committee of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe voted to censure White Earth Chairwoman Erma Vizenor in a hearing held last week at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen.

The decision does not mean she loses her position as White Earth chairperson, but it clears the path for the White Earth Tribal Council to vote on whether or not to oust her. A hearing will be held at White Earth in the next couple of months, but a date has not yet been set. The White Earth tribe has only about a week left to schedule a hearing to be held within 60 days that will call for the removal or recall of Vizenor.

The decision last week was made in a vote of 10 to 1 with one member abstaining. Votes were cast by the chairpersons and secretary-treasurers of the six bands that make up the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, which is the umbrella organization that White Earth falls under.

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