Recall meetings set for Comanche Nation tribal officials

Members of the Comanche Nation will conduct special meetings Thursday to recall a pair of tribal officers.

The meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. at Watchetaker Hall at the Comanche Nation Tribal Complex, 9 miles north of Lawton. Doors open at 9 a.m. and there will be a noon meal.

A quorum of 150 adult tribal members is needed for the meeting and any actions to be legal, according to the tribe’s constitution.

The meetings will involve two recall hearings, one for Comanche Business Committee Vice Chairman Dr. Cornel Pewewardy and the other for Committeeperson Seat No. 1 Hazel Tahsequah.

Among the bill of particulars, Pewewardy and Tahsequah are each accused of an “unconstitutional ‘de-facto’ removal of Committeeperson Seat No. 3 Alice Kassanavoid” for allegations of violating the Comanche Nation Constitution and other pertinent laws during the Sept. 9, 2023, monthly business meeting.

Pewewardy and Tahsequah are also accused of dereliction of duty and violation of the tribe’s constitution. They are accused of bring forward a resolution to establish the Office of the Comanche Business Committee and voted to approve it without first bringing it before the tribal council for final consideration as to adoption or rejection, the particulars read. The tribal council is the chief governing body for the Comanche Nation.

A third allegation of theft of tribal funds was filed against Pewewardy. He is accused of accepting payment for a Comanche Nation Tax Commission meeting from Jan. 26, 2023. The particulars state that Pewewardy accepted $600 while not attending the meeting.

The meetings follow two recall petitions that gathered at least 250 eligible voter signatures and submitted to Comanche Nation Enrollment on Dec. 7, 2023.