TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The Council of the Cherokee Nation spoke unanimously on Thursday, Sept. 28, when a special meeting was called to approve a resolution expressing no confidence in Wes Nofire as the State of Oklahoma’s liaison for Native American affairs.
The resolution called for the immediate resignation of Nofire due to his opposition to tribal sovereignty, Cherokee Nation sovereignty and spreading false conspiracy theories about the tribe.
Nofire, a former Cherokee Nation tribal councilor, was appointed to the state post on Sept. 5 by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. Since then, the Cherokee Nation council, the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes and the Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission have all passed resolutions opposing Stitt’s appointment of Nofire.
The Cherokee Nation Council voted unanimously in favor of passing the resolution.
“It’s always powerful when the Council of the Cherokee Nation speaks unanimously, as they did Thursday by calling for Wes Nofire’s resignation as Governor Stitt’s Native American Liaison,” Chief Hoskin said. “Many of these council members served alongside him while he served on Council and all of them have heard his views opposing tribal sovereignty and spinning unhinged conspiracy theories. This action was necessary if we are to defend the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation against an active threat.”
The Five Tribes resolution of September 21, which also passed unanimously, cited Governor Stitt’s hostility toward Oklahoma’s Native nations and suggested Nofire could not effectively inform Stitt because their perspectives on tribal sovereignty align too closely.
The Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission likewise condemned the selection of Nofire in a letter of September 19, 2023, asserting that he was “under qualified,” displayed a “lack of commitment to his engagements,” and expressed “public opposition to the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the McGirt Case.”
Nofire has openly expressed his opposition of tribal sovereignty while being a promoter of fictitious conspiracies about the Cherokee Nation.
“Wes Nofire has only burned bridges with Oklahoma’s tribal nations because of his anti-tribal sovereignty rhetoric. He spent months promoting ludicrous conspiracy theories that were harmful to the Cherokee Nation and other tribal nations,” Speaker of the Council Mike Shambaugh said. “Nofire is not fit to serve as Oklahoma’s Native American liaison.”
Speaker Shambaugh previously expressed opposition to Nofire’s selection as Native American Liaison in a September 8, 2023, opinion piece in the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper.
Resources:
- Council of the Cherokee Nation’s, September 28, 2023, resolution calling for Nofire’s resignation.
- Inter-tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes, September 21, 2023, resolution calling for Nofire’s resignation.
- Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission letter of September 19, 2023, opposing Nofire.
- Council of the Cherokee Nation Speaker Mike Shambaugh’s opinion piece.