Cherokee Nation Tribal Council Elects New Leaders

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council elected new leadership at its regular February meeting Thursday afternoon.

Tribal Council Speaker Tina Glory-Jordan takes the oath of office administered by Cherokee Supreme Court Justice James G. Wilcoxen as her husband, Rex Jordan, holds her Bible

The council's new speaker, Tina Glory-Jordan, is in her second term representing District 1, which includes Cherokee and eastern Wagoner counties. Glory-Jordan is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and the University of Tulsa School of Law and lives on a farm near Hulbert.

Also elected by the Council were Chuck Hoskin Jr, of Vinita, as deputy speaker and Peavine resident Jodie Fishinghawk as secretary.

Hoskin received his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Oklahoma and represents District 4, which includes Washington, Nowata, Craig and Mayes counties. A council member since 2007 and current chairman of the council's Rules Committee, he is the son of Oklahoma state representative and former Tribal Council member Chuck Hoskin Sr.

First elected to the council in 2007, Fishinghawk represents District 2, which includes Adair, Delaware and southern Ottawa counties. She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Northeastern State University and is the current chairwoman of the council's Executive and Finance Committee. She is the daughter of former Tribal Council Member Leo Fishinghawk, Sr.

New Cherokee Election Commissioner Shawna Calico was also sworn into office. A resident of Stilwell, Calico was appointed by Principal Chief Bill John Baker last month to a four year term.

In addition to electing new leaders, the Tribal Council passed a resolution allowing recent appointees to the Cherokee Nation Businesses' board of directors to begin their terms. The 10 nominees confirmed at the December and January meetings were approved with the provision that they could not be seated on the board until receiving top secret security clearance due to some of the government contracts held by the tribe's economic arm.

“Those restrictions were deemed to be not warranted by CNB,”

deputy speaker Hoskin, Jr., said.

With the removal of the restrictions, the board members will begin their terms immediately.

posted February 27, 2012 6:30 am est