Todd C. Fast Horse & Concerned Tribal Members

PO Box 416
Rosebud, SD 57570
(O) 605-856-2143 (H) 605-747-2103 (C) 605-441-5794
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Howard B. Hanson
Resource Sentinel Organization
26 West St. Albans Rd. 
Hopkins, MN 55305

May 28, 2009

RE: Written Request

Dear Mr. Hanson:

Please accept our letter of request for assistance during the upcoming 2009 Primary and General Election on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. As a tribal member and a poll watcher in every election since 2001, we are very concerned about the civil rights violations committed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe ("RST") Election Board. To further add insult to injury, the RST Tribal Court, in the name of tribal sovereignty, has dismissed civil cases filed against the RST Election Board members.

For many years, we have encouraged officials at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and our Congressional Delegation to assist us with our issue, but due to the government-to-government relationship with the tribe, without a request from the leadership, we are back to square one. When the current tribal leadership is the benefactor of corrupt elections, I don't see any support for independent or federal poll watchers as their priority.

Therefore, I am requesting the Resource Sentinel initiate an open letter campaign to the RST administration and tribal council requesting the approval of the attached resolution approving the request for independent and federal poll watchers during the upcoming Primary and General election. Although I doubt the RST would authorize independent poll watchers or federal monitors, it is worth the time and effort to make such a request.

Respectfully,

Todd C. Fast Horse