Content about Shannon Edwards

Candidates for the Third Osage Nation Congress have started their trek on the campaign trail with several making a stop at the Cedar Chest to share their interest in seeking public office.

Cedar Chest co-operators Julie O’keefe and Danette Daniels held an April 12 reception for the Legislative Branch candidates who are seeking the six Congressional seats up for grabs in the June election.

During the 14th Special Session, the Second Osage Nation Congress passed a resolution calling for a special election to be held Aug. 13. The special election date follows the recommendation of the ON Election Board, which decided on the Aug. 13 election during its Jan. 18 meeting.

There are six expiring Congressional terms up for grabs, so the June 4 ballot will contain names of those candidates seeking office and will also contain questions on seven proposed Constitutional amendments unrelated to the Minerals Estate.

Osage Nation Principal Chief John Red Eagle is calling the Second Osage Nation Congress into Special Session starting Nov. 10 to consider matters including appropriating $8.9 million for the higher education scholarship program and $100,000 for the employee loan program – the targets of two bills he pocket-vetoed following the Tzi-Zho Session.

The Second Osage Nation Congress overrode Osage Nation Principal Chief John Red Eagle's veto Sept. 19, which sets notice periods and limitations in calling for Congressional Special Sessions. Congress voted 11-1 to override the veto so the bill becomes law.

The Second Osage Nation Congress issued two subpoenas for the Nation’s Treasurer and Human Resources director to appear before the Congressional Affairs Committee regarding the Congress members’ compensation and income taxation on April 15.

In the words of Osage Congressman William “Kugee” Supernaw in his email newsletter, “GOOD GOLLY GRANNY!! IT’S ANOTHER GAG ORDER.”

A communication directive was emailed to the Nation’s directors April 25 by Senior Executive Advisor Faren Anderson that said, “all directives and requests from Congress members regarding departments be directed to Raymond Lasley, Executive Advisor of Programs, for assistance.”

As a director, who wished to remain anonymous, put it, “That’s a gag order.”

Osage Congresswoman Shannon Edwards is the subject matter of some angry Osage shareholders lately.

Edwards introduced a bill, ONCA 11-51, during the congressional Hun-Kah session that asked for an audit of the Nation’s S-510 account. She asked that the ON Treasurer audit and segregate the funds in the account.

Osage Nation Principal Chief John Red Eagle believes now is “an opportunity for a new beginning.” He told the Second ON Congress that this year’s Tzi-Zho Session is an opportunity for the executive and legislative branches to start fresh.

“Today, we as leaders of this Nation have an opportunity to hit the ‘reset’ button and start anew to adjust our priorities, to right the course where we may have strayed,” Red Eagle told Congress Tuesday in his opening day address of the fall session.

On the last day of the 2010 Hun-Kah Session Thursday, the Osage Nation Congress rescinded last week’s board confirmation votes conducted by secret ballot then voted again – in the open – on all board appointees which resulted in dismissals of George Pease and Elizabeth Lohah Homer from the Gaming Enterprise Board.

Thursday’s votes come eight days after the Congress declined to confirm board members Frank Oberly, Pease and Chairwoman Homer in a secret ballot vote on April 7.