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Big, big changes in the Michigan Sault

The man who built the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians from almost nothing into a US$550-million-a-year corporation employing almost 5,000 people has been ousted in a tribal election.
BernardBouschor

The man who built the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians from almost nothing into a US$550-million-a-year corporation employing almost 5,000 people has been ousted in a tribal election.

Bernard Bouschor, first elected as tribal chairman in 1987, lost 4,190 to 4,028 to Aaron Payment, according to unofficial results released early this morning.

To learn more about Aaron Payment, please click here.

With ballots cast by 75 percent of eligible voters, it was the highest turnout of any election in the history of the Sault Tribe.

Attack literature, death threats

The election was also marked by attack literature and an FBI investigation into two written death threats against Bouschor.

Opponents accused him of having turned into a dictator who'd spent too long in office, saddling the tribe with hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.

There were also allegations of nepotism, hiring of non-natives in top positions, firing of political opponents, even banishment from tribal lands.

One major issue in the campaign was the Sault tribe's plan to build a $350-million casino in Romulus, Michigan.

That would have provided direct competition with casinos in Detroit, prompting Payment to argue that the new casino should be established instead in Flint or Monroe.

Payment wouldn't keep casinos in both Detroit and Romulus

Earlier this month, Payment told the Detroit Free Press that if he won the election, the Sault Tribe would not have casinos in both Detroit and Romulus.

"We told people in Detroit we would be behind Greektown," he told the newspaper.

"If Romulus turns out to be a wonderful opportunity and we move in that direction, then we should let somebody else have the opportunity in Greektown. We can't talk out of both sides of our mouth."

Bouschor's beginnings - a donated garage

Bouschor started working with the Sault Tribe as an office manager in 1975 at a time that operations were based out of a donated garage and there was virtually no revenue.

During the 1980s, he helped the tribe establish its first business, a convenience store.

He later led the tribe's move into gaming, establishing six casinos.

The Sault Tribe has also grown to include 15 non-gaming businesses, a health and human service center, an elementary school, community centers, head start programs and housing for the Tribe’s reservation communities.

The tribe's political influence extends not only throughout the powerful Upper Peninsula, but into the state government at Lansing and also in Detroit, where the tribe operates the Greektown Casino.

The following are unofficial election results, as released this morning by the Sault Tribe:

***************************** Tribal election results

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Sault Tribe general elections were held last night at the Chi Mukwa Arena.

Below are the unofficial election results:

Tribal Chairman

Aaron Payment – 4,190 Bernard Bouschor – 4,028

Unit One

Cathy Abramson – 2,276 Joe Eitrem – 1,879 Todd Gravelle – 1,719 Kim Gravelle – 1,719 Mike Menard – 1,675 Ken Eagle – 1,434

Unit Two

Lana Causley – 601 Frances Hank – 556

Unit Three

Fred Paquin – 1,034 Write in Candidates – 410

Unit Four

Tom Miller – 488 Ron Powers – 466

Eleven-thousand ballots were sent to Tribal Members for this election with over 75% of voters returning their ballots making this the highest voter turn out of any tribal election.

Candidates have until Tuesday June 29, 2004 to contest the election results.

Dates that the new board members will take office will be announced at a later date.

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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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