Animal ‘Kindness’ Group, Cherokee Members Allege ‘Federal Electioneering’ Against Inhofe, Baker

URGENT NEWS ADVISORY

Tuesday, September 30,  2014

Capitol Press Briefing Tuesday:

Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe Broke Federal Election Laws, Group Will Charge; Also Tuesday, Cherokee Nation Members Object to Principal Chief’s Participation in Pigeon Shoot Fundraising Event for Inhofe

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – New information – which will be made public for the first time at a press conference here Tuesday announcing a federal electioneering complaint – indicates it was federal land used for a pigeon shoot fundraiser by US Sen. Inhofe in Oklahoma, that the general manager of  the district participated in the shoot, contributed to Inhofe’s campaign and his district profited from Sen. Inhofe’s votes in the Senate.

Press Conference: Tuesday/September 30 at 9:30 a.m.

Oklahoma State Capitol (first floor rotunda).

Members of the Cherokee Nation will also participate in a press conference here Tuesday and voice serious concerns about their Principal Chief’s participation in a controversial pigeon shoot fundraiser for U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) that has drawn worldwide attention.

An undercover SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) investigator secretly recorded the pigeon shoot in Lone Wolf, OK earlier this month (Sept. 5) of Sen. Inhofe and a second member of Congress – Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). The video of that shoot, which exposed horrific acts of animal cruelty, has gone viral.

Bill John Baker, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, was filmed participating in the pigeon shoot. A complaint against Chief Baker has been filed with Attorney General Todd Hembree of the Cherokee Nation by Cherokee lawyer Michael E. Moore.

SHARK president Steve Hindi will present new evidence at the press briefing and announce that SHARK has filed a complaint with the United States Justice Department regarding multiple potential violations of state and federal law.  These include that a political fundraiser may have been held on federal property, that the pigeons were illegally transported across state lines and that state employees were used to work at a private electioneering fundraiser for a sitting US Senator.

Members of the Cherokee Nation have said they were particularly incensed at their Chief’s involvement representing the Cherokee Nation, which was listed as a “Gold Level Host” of the pigeon shoot (meaning it had donated at least $2,500 to Inhofe).

Twila Barnes, a noted genealogist and member of the Cherokee Nation, will attend the press conference with other members of the Cherokee Nation. She has publicly objected to the Cherokee Nation support of the fundraiser while Cherokee Nation members are going without basic necessities for lack of funds.
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