Paula Pechonick recall, Delaware Tribe, Oklahoma (2014)
| Delaware Tribe Chief recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2014 Recalls in Oklahoma Oklahoma recall laws Special district recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Paula Pechonick from her position as chief of the Delaware Tribe was proposed in May 2014.[1]
Bonnie Jo Griffiths, a candidate in the tribe’s November council election, led the campaign to recall Pechonick. Griffiths wanted to recall Pechonick over premature termination of government contracts and alleged violations of the tribe's constitution.[1] The effort ultimately did not go to a vote.
Background
Prior to Griffiths announcing a recall effort, Pechonick was at the center of a lawsuit related to the termination of the government contracts of Jim and Libbi Gray, two Skiatook-based Osage consultants. The tribe’s judicial branch ruled that Pechonick violated the Delaware Tribe's constitution. Nevertheless, Chief Pechonick was not punished for her actions. Secretary Verna Crawford said the point wasn't to punish Pechonick, but to make sure everyone was "on the same page moving forward." Following the lawsuit, Pechonick stated, "I am grateful the case has been resolved. We (the Tribal Council) have been able to put this behind us and move forward in a good way. We are proud of the progress we have been able to accomplish for our tribe. We are excited for the future for our tribe and our people"[1]
Path to the ballot
Griffiths was required to collect at least 100 valid signatures from tribal members in order to initiate a recall election. She filed paperwork on May 16, 2014, to initiate a recall campaign.[1]
See also
Footnotes
