Next level disenrollment

Re: Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria

Culprits such as Chairman Greg Sarris are few among California's sovereign nations tribal leadership. Thousands of California Indians have been violated by those few.

Aside from the couple of reams of documentation this boils down to a 'he said / she said' case.  I said he did it on purpose, he said it was a mistake; either way he did it.  Chairman Sarris does not get to cheat and hurt tribal members, not even by mistake.  At a minimum he is guilty of gross malfeasance for his failure to take responsibility for his mistake long before now.

Chairman Sarris is highly educated (Ph.D.). Chairman Sarris acted with malice and forethought. When questioned by the 9th Circuit Court, under oath, Chairman Sarris testified he made a mistake.

Everybody makes mistakes, it's what you do after a mistake, (what lengths he's gone to avoid accountability), that matter. As far as mistakes go, this was a dozy, it caught the attention of the 9th Circuit Court.

The Chairman received no disciplinary, no censure and he never apologized to me; as a matter of fact subsequent to being ousted from my duly elected Office of Tribal Secretary I complained and received a 5 year disciplinary sanction. Wrongful prosecution. I served more than eight (8) years on that 5 year sentence.

 Chairman Greg Sarris is the leader of a sovereign people, a small group of 1300+ persons, many elderly and children. This is no giant bureaucracy.  Chairman Greg Sarris is accountable for his abuses and offences. By ousting me, Sarris invalidated every vote, and by definition, corrupted the government; and with the wrongful prosecution established ominous control - 'Do what he wants and don't talk back.'

I have been severely harmed and cheated of irreclaimable years of my voice, vote, benefits; my mother, father and sister have gone to their graves. I was exiled, kicked out and continue under threat of being charged with harassment and being kicked out again. I am not to write letters or approach / confront him in public. I know other tribal members fear it could happen to them. I know Chairman Sarris's offences and abuses are abhorent to other sovereign peoples.

 At the time of my ousting I was a clam shell bead artist, one of 8 shell artists featured in Winter 2002/2003 News from Native California art magazine.  Most of the 80s and 90s I worked in prisons; with familiarization of bureaucracies, police states, and long legal battles for rights.


Lezlie Grigone
Tribal Elder