The Osage Nation Congress has authorized a special counsel investigation into Principal Chief Joe Tillman following several allegations involving the chief and his staff.
The authorization, filed Wednesday afternoon, allows the tribe to spend up to $50,000 to hire a special counsel to investigate three allegations. Eleven members of the Osage Nation Congress approved the authorization. Congressman John Maker was the only member who did not sign the document.
Osage News was first to report on the investigation.
What is the investigation looking into?
According to documents posted by Osage News, one allegation involves Tillman’s declaration of a state of emergency in early August over budget shortfalls.
That declaration led to the closure of the tribe’s Osage language immersion school.
The documents allege Tillman issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency that did not exist.
The investigation will also examine whether the Osage attorney general was pressured regarding charges against Treasurer Clark Batson.
Those charges were reportedly based on possession of peyote, which the documents state is legal under Osage and federal law.
Could the investigation lead to Tillman’s removal?
The investigation could potentially set the stage for Tillman’s removal if the allegations are substantiated, though the authorization itself does not mean the allegations have been proven.
The special counsel will be tasked with investigating the allegations and determining whether further action is warranted.
News On 6 has reached out to Tillman’s office for a response to the investigation but has not received a response.
This article was originally published by KOTV (News on 6). You can see the original story here.