Chairman Azure Reinstated Following Dec. 3 Hearing
The Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board held Chairman Floyd Azure’s impeachment hearing Dec. 3. Members of the board were presented nine charges against Azure.
Five involved his alleged ties to BP Construction. Other charges included Azure’s alleged refusal to attend meetings after Aug. 24, failure to ensure that tribal programs require background checks, publishing allegations against other board members in the Fort Peck Journal and involving the board in litigation with American Medical and Bridges Construction.
Azure was outspoken. “Is this really a fair hearing?” he asked the board. “You’re going to be my judge and jury?”
Azure called former corrections director Ron Jackson to testify. The sixth charge alleged that Azure accepted inadequate training for Jackton to serve as a federal corrections officer, training that allegedly didn’t meet a tribal mandate.
Through board member Emerson Young, it was revealed that Jackson was trained for his position in the 1980s, but over time Jackson had failed to certify his training. Jackson told the board that even after retiring, people from the facility still go to him for help. Azure and Jackson both said they believed that the years of experience were adequate to meet the spirit of the mandate.
Azure then turned his attention to the five charges involving BP Construction “I never hired them”, Azure told the board. “I didn’t do this on my own. You all passed a resolution for me to sign it.”
Young expressed frustration at the one one-sided account. “You see, we’re only going on his word,” Young said, “Our attorneys provided 150 pages worth of rebuttal to Chairman Azure that we just can’t reveal yet.”
After hearing the charges and Azure’s defense, seven of the 11 board members voted to remove the chairman. The board needed eight votes to remove Azure from his position. Those voting for removal included Frank Gourneau, Terry Rattling Thunder, Emerson Young, Patt Iron Cloud Runs Through, Jestin Dupree, Kaci Wallette and Carolyn Brugh. Those against removal included Alex Smith, Justin Grey Hawk and Leonard Crowbelt. Dana Buckles didn’t vote, nor did vice chairman Charles Headdress.
“I voted no, because I did not initially sign the charges, did not feel confident in doing so,” said Smith. “I wanted to wait and hear both sides at the hearing. Chairman Azure provided a good defense and that solidified my vote.”
Smith wasn’t the only one convinced by the chairman’s testimony. Gray Hawk noted after the vote that he changed his vote for Azure.
After the vote, Azure left the hearing abruptly following remarks from board member Iron Cloud Runs Through, who requested that Azure retract statements published in the Fort Peck Journal that were critical of board members.
