Lumbee Tribal Council learns that tribe has $18 million in HUD money that leaders didn't know about
RED SPRINGS - The Tribal Council announced Thursday night that the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has an excess of $18 million of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds.
Tribal Speaker Pearlean Revels and Councilman McDuffie Cummings said the $18,495,998.61 has been accumulating since 2007, but no one in the administration or on the council knew about it.
http://fayobserver.com/articles/2012/09/21/1205642?sac=fo.local
Say what? Leaders didn't know about? So if leaders didn't know about that, then what else don't they know? $18 million isn't chump change. Who's doing the books or cooking the books? I'm just asking the obvious!! You just don't let that much money accumulate and nobody know!
I am more inclined to think they are being watched and to keep inquiring minds at bay, they are being proactive by getting this out. It's just a hunch. Not accusing them of misdeeds. They are not guilty until proven such. They really could be this clueless. But if it is true that nobody knew? Good grief...time for new management and a serious audit (which according to the article has been suggested).
But I can tell you this blogger has put FOIAs in to find out why certain members of NC Indian tribes were able to receive $7500, not once, not twice, but three times in funds from the Dept. of Agriculture labeled 'Natural Disaster Funds' in 2005. The only natural disaster to hit in the US in 2005 was Hurricane Katrina. Anybody remember that? So let's see where did it hit in NC? Yep that's right...it didn't!
I came to know that one of the recipients is the mother of Sue Brewington. Ms. Sue works for the NC Coherie Indian Tribal Council. Ms. Sue's mom received the three checks referenced. Two on the same day. This is public information. Except "the why" did she get them part, apparently! (see below) Trust me there are many more recipients we will cover in time.....
But my goodness, "Shut the front door!" (I love that OREO cookie commercial!) I believe Hurricane Katrina happened in the Gulf. And not in NC. What's going on? We're going to try and find out. Our tax dollars are being diverted and misused and wasted way too much.
Oh I better tell you that Ms. Brewington's office staff has stated that Sue's mom is a good citizen. Fine. Upstanding. I told them I am sure she is. But so was Jim Black. Meg Phipps. The Unibomber. We're all born good.
Ms. Ethel is so good that the Coherie Indian Tribal Council believes that I have no business at all wanting to know where these funds came from and why. Unfortunately for them, because these are taxpayer dollars, I have every right. Trust me, they won't too fond of me when I told them such. I have an email trail...
The issue isn't about any fine citizen. The issue is why were disaster funds diverted to NC when NC didn't appear to have a disaster!! Just trying to find out the truth...
More developments to come...
3 comments:
Why Mrs Barber, How dare you. You must be a racist for bringing up such things.
Let the poor folks have that money. They are entitled to it.
There is plenty more where that came from. We can just print some more.
Why yes...how dare me!! I've been sitting on this for awhile. Couldn't find a more perfect moment than the confession of not knowing where $18 million came from! And I say ...BS!
While the news last week that elected officials of the Lumbee Tribe were receiving a $550 a month stipend illegally will be seen as the latest example of local politicians turning their office into an ATM, we believe it bodes well for the tribe in the long run.
We will explain in a moment. First, a review.
Tribal officials have been told that the stipend is not a permitted use of housing dollars that are provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This isn’t the first time the tribal government has been told it could not pay council members and the chairman with HUD dollars.
The same directive came from HUD in 2006, yet the Tribal Council not only continued to pay its members and the chairman, the stipend has grown from $250 a month in 2006 to $550. According to a letter HUD, that adds up to $735,000 of housing money that has gone for stipends instead of its intended purpose, which is to assist tribal members with housing needs
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