By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C.—On Jan. 4, 2024, the Tribal Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) approved Resolution 4386 to adopt the Ethics Investigation Report dated Aug. 3, 2023, issued by the Office of Internal Audit and Ethics in Case No. 2023-1-63, regarding Jeremy Wilson, and imposing sanctions. The EBCI Office of Internal Audit and Ethics found that Wilson, formally appointed as governmental affairs liaison and as a member of the Cherokee Medical LLC Board, violated Cherokee Code Section 117-45 Standards of Ethical Conduct when he attempted to solicit gratuities and favors from a potential contractor of the EBCI.
The Ethics Investigation Report was filed on Aug. 3, 2023, regarding incidents between November 2021 and August 2022. The report lists a series of text messages from Wilson to representatives from Sovereign Solutions Carolina between November 2021 and July 2022 attempting to solicit money, and at one point acquiring $4,000 from the Principal of Sovereign Solutions Carolina.
The report found that Wilson violated four sections of the Cherokee Code Section 117- 45.3 Code of Ethics, including:
Section 117-45.3 (b) “No Tribal Official or any member of their immediate family shall solicit or accept gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value from contractors, potential contractors or subcontractors who are contracting to perform services or sell goods or property to the Tribe or a Tribal program,”
Section 117-45.3 (d) (1) “Tribal officials of the EBCI shall treat service to the EBCI as a sacred public trust with fiduciary responsibility to the EBCI, which requires upholding and acting in accordance with the laws of the EBCI and engaging in the proper governance of the EBCI in a manner, which is placed above personal and private gain,”
Section 117-45.3 (d) (5) “Tribal officials of the EBCI shall not use prestige of the office to advance personal interests of others or themselves,”
and Section 117-45.3 (d) (15) “Tribal officials shall maintain or enhance the honesty and integrity of their respective offices; and safeguard the reputation of the EBCI as a whole.”
The Ethics Review Committee recommended that Tribal Council “affirm the decision of the Ethics Review Committee on Code of Ethics violations and issue a fine in the amount of $4,000, and “amend the recommendation for appointment to state “Jeremy Wilson will not be appointed to any position for a period five years.”
At their Jan. 4 meeting, Tribal Council adopted the report, affirming that Wilson would be fined $4,000, be prohibited from appointment to any position with Tribal government, or any entity, enterprise, board or commission of the Tribe for a period of five years from the date of the report on Aug. 3, 2023, and the same will not enter any contracts for goods or services with Wilson or any business entity for which he is a principal for the same period of five years. The resolution will not become effective until ratified by Principal Chief Michell Hicks.
Wilson did not appear nor appoint a representative at the Tribal Council meeting on Jan. 4.
