Ute Tribe suspends chairman of executive, legislative body

FORT DUCHESNE, Uintah County — The Northern Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee voted Monday to suspend its leading member.

The 3-2 vote removed Curtis Cesspooch from his position as chairman of the six-member governing body that serves as the tribe's executive and legislative branches.

"He's been suspended for 30 days," said Business Committee member Irene Cuch, who voted in favor of the suspension.

The move is intended to give a tribal judge adequate time to rule on a recall petition pending against Cesspooch.

"The recall is the right of the people, and (Cesspooch) doesn't recognize that," Cuch said. "That's part of his problem."

Joining Cuch in support of the suspension were Stewart Pike and Richard Jenks Jr. Business Committee members Frances Poowegup and Philip Chimburas voted against the action.

Cesspooch was not allowed to witness the vote, according to Cuch. He could not be reached for comment.

The warring factions within the tribal leadership appear to have brought the Northern Ute government to a standstill on the Uintah-Ouray Indian Reservation.

The unrest began last fall when disputes arose over a fish hatchery that is being built near Big Springs, a sacred site to many tribal members. Protests were held at the construction site and tribal offices, and despite construction delays, the project continued — much to the dismay of its opponents.

By January, dissatisfaction with tribal leadership led some members to try to recall Cesspooch. The effort to oust him failed when a tribal election committee determined that the petitioners lacked the required number of valid signatures.

But Cesspooch's opponents continued their efforts to remove him.

On July 7, a motion was filed in tribal court for a restraining order against Cesspooch. The motion, according to Cesspooch, demanded that he retain his own attorney in matters pertaining to a second recall, instead of using the services of a tribal attorney.

This, Cesspooch said, "is pure politics supported by other (Business) Committee members" who don't accept the ruling on the first recall petition as valid. A vote by the Business Committee on whether the chairman could use the tribe's attorney ended in a tie, sending the issue to tribal court.