Sault Tribe chair censured by board of directors

The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ board of directors has censured tribal chair Aaron Payment amid ongoing disputes over financial oversight. 

In a statement issued to the media this week, Payment said that he was censured during a Jan. 4 board meeting for "indistinct causes" related to a series of financial and political conflicts brewing between the tribal chair and board of directors.   

Board of directors vice-chairman DJ Hoffman did not respond to a request for comment. 

"If the board feels it is necessary to censure me, it should be with a measured consequence and not at the expense of hurting the Sault Tribe's national standing and political capital through the national level work I do,” said Payment in an email to SooLeader and SooToday Friday. “In this work, I push to uphold the U.S. treaty and trust obligation and never represent the Sault Tribe in a negative light."

Payment has taken to social media in order to circulate a petition requesting a referendum regarding the board’s move to censure the tribal chair.