Copyright © 2003 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Chadwick "Corntassel" Smith

I thank you for re-electing me as Principal Chief for four more years in a landslide primary. It is a great honor, and I will work hard for our people.

This campaign was certainly more civil than the 1999 campaign, with the exception of the campaign of the long-time incumbent in District 8. Each of the candidates should be commended for that. But still, many candidates floated rumors and spread falsehoods in whispered voices throughout the campaign. I want to put those untruths to rest.

For instance, I do not have a $1 million plane that is used for campaigning. Cherokee Nation Enterprises has a 1981 twin engine plane it rents to staff and officials of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation has had a twin-engine plane since 1975.

I am not adopted and have had no children since the last election.

Contrary to rumor, I am a Christian.

I did not fire 100 employees at the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation. The Housing Authority is a separate organization that several years ago had three years of backlogged funding.

Its administration hired 115 new employees to work off the backlog and several months ago began to downsize to its original size, using a series of voluntary layoffs. All employees who have left under the HACN voluntary layoff plan did so by their own choice. No one has been forced out of work.

As bad as campaign rumormongering can be, it is also an insult to our people to make political promises that can never be delivered. Some of the most outlandish promises from the recent campaign were:

* Offering to get a Wal-Mart closer to Nicut;
* A riverboat at Webber Falls for a group of non-Indians;
* The jobs of every major position at the Cherokee Nation;
* $150 million for the Arkansas Riverbed; and
* A free house in the next several months.

Although false promises stimulate the imagination and may influence votes, they are irresponsible. Are we, as a people, going to stoop to allow pandering of false promises as the basis to elect our leaders? If we do, Cherokee election campaigns will be no different than mainstream political campaigns.

We ran our campaign on simple principles of working hard, using common sense and caring about our Cherokee people. We showed our record of caring for Cherokee people. We did not pander to voters by offering jobs, doors, Wal-Marts, gaming boats or federal funds.

The Cherokee Nation is making progress. This campaign was much more civil than the one Joe Byrd waged in 1999. A number of newly elected Council members are noted as statesmen and will avoid petty politics and concentrate on doing what is right for the Cherokee people. During the next four years, I am looking forward to working with strong elected officials, dedicated to common sense, hard work and the Cherokee Nation.

Thank you again for re-electing me to serve you for another four years.

Wa-do.

Related contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org