#LakotaLawProject

NoDAPL Depositions Unsealed

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Victory! NoDAPL Depositions Unsealed
Wed, Sep 11, 2019 3:15 pm
Chase Iron Eyes, Lakota Law (info@lakotalaw.org)To:you Details

https://www.lakotalaw.org/our-actions/lplp-donate

I write to you to share a big win for our movement. On Aug. 28—the day a North Dakota court wiped clean my record from the protests at Standing Rock—my legal team succeeded in convincing our judge that discovery material from my trial must be made public. This important victory for transparency and the First Amendment can better position water protectors for the battle against Keystone XL. These depositions now become valuable legal resources, especially as more states criminalize protest and hire private armies to protect their fossil fuel investments.

It’s critical that friends like you make an alternative investment in our movement. Your gift today can help us counter efforts to protect profits over people and oil over water by growing the power and reach of our resistance. We’re dedicating considerable staff hours to honing and disseminating our discovery materials so we and other legal teams can be fully prepared to fight environmental racism in court. We are all in this together.

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Outside the courthouse in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Daniel Sheehan and I discuss the importance of the judge’s decision to release discovery materials from my trial.

In depositions, our Lakota Law legal team pressed law enforcement officers on their lack of knowledge about treaty law and their inappropriate collusion with TigerSwan, a private military security firm for hire. These records can now assist other water protectors, attorneys, journalists, and filmmakers still trying to accurately convey the real story of Standing Rock and protect the importance of free speech in America.

Today, our movement to safeguard sacred water and ancestral lands has new momentum, but we still have much to do. White nationalists beholden to the oil lobby remain in power and, every day, our climate slips closer to the brink—just two more reasons to fight harder together. Free at last of any legal restrictions, I’m ready to press forward with all required urgency! I hope you’ll keep standing at my side, in person and in spirit.

Wopila tanka — Thank you, always, for your compassion and determination.

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project

 

Lakota People's Law Project

Lakota People’s Law Project
547 South 7th #149
Bismarck, ND 58504-5859

The Lakota People’s Law Project is part of the Romero Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) law and policy center. All donations are tax-deductible.

Public Hearing Set on DAPL Expansion!

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9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at Emmons County Courthouse in Linton, North Dakota.

Great news! Nearly 20,000 of you sent letters to the North Dakota Public Service Commission supporting the call of Lakota leaders for a public hearing on the proposed expansion of the Dakota Access pipeline—and you have been heard! The Commission has set the time and place for the hearing: 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at Emmons County Courthouse in Linton, North Dakota.

Now, it’s up to all of us to keep the pressure on the powers that be to make the right decisions. We are prepared to mount a fierce ground campaign to ensure that Native perspectives are well-represented and heard in November. Can you contribute now to help us win this critical pipeline fight?

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Lakota People’s Law Project Standing Rock Organizer Phyllis Young at the Democratic presidential debates in Detroit. Phyllis actively combats pipelines and works as an ambassador for clean energy solutions in Lakota Country.

There is much still to do. The process must be fully transparent, the public must be heard, and tribal concerns about the safety of pipelines must be properly addressed. This expansion aims to double the amount of oil DAPL carries to more than 1 million barrels each day—further endangering the environment we share.

And as you know, it’s not just DAPL we must resist; the Keystone XL pipeline buildout will soon be upon us here in Lakota Country. For this reason, we are working tirelessly with tribal leaders, other nonprofit organizations, and visionary politicians in D.C. to develop a cohesive, coordinated strategy to protect water and climate from dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure.

Following our recent meeting with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, my colleagues Dan Nelson and Phyllis Young marched the streets of Detroit alongside other activists during the Democratic debates. Afterwards they met at length with Sunrise Movement founders. We’ve also engaged Bernie Sanders’ senate staff to produce a video about KXL—I urge you to stay tuned for that.

Your friendship helps us to keep working tirelessly to prevent the oil industry from despoiling the sacred. We won’t stop in our mission to elevate Indigenous voices in the national conversation. We’re building the connections that can—and will—have real impact, and we hope you will stay at our side at this crucial moment for Mother Earth.

Wopila Tanka—we can’t thank you enough for all that you do!

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project

Lakota People’s Law Project
547 South 7th #149
Bismarck, ND 58504-5859

The Lakota People’s Law Project is part of the Romero Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) law and policy center. All donations are tax-deductible.

New: Presidential Forum

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https://www.lakotalaw.org/news/2019-08-27/na-presidential-forum?emci=4918c543-e0c8-e911-bcd0-281878391efb&emdi=6f127674-f3c9-e911-bcd0-281878391efb&ceid=2659296&utm_source=ea&utm_medium=email&utm_content=textlink&sourceid=1036775Lakota Law

“We are thrilled that many major presidential contenders came to Indian Country to court our votes and are addressing our key issues, both in-person and in their platforms.”

To see what they had to say, you can view full videos of several of the candidates here.

As a 501(c)(3), we cannot endorse any one candidate or party. That said, we do believe it’s essential to share the information we have and to empower people to vote with as much knowledge as possible. We pushed back hard last November against vote suppression in North Dakota for that very reason, highlighted by this ABC Nightline episode featuring my colleague, Phyllis Young.

I am constantly inspired when working alongside President Julian Bear Runner. He is the second-youngest president in the Oglala Nation’s history, and as a fellow water protector at Standing Rock in 2017, he was arrested by my side. At the Forum, he used his panel appearance (with NY City Mayor Bill De Blasio) to challenge candidates to resist pipeline construction in Indian Country, combat meth use on the rez, and free Leonard Peltier.

I’m pretty sure this will be the only moment during the 2020 campaign when a candidate for president will have been asked to openly endorse Leonard’s release—and, to his credit, De Blasio didn’t hesitate. I encourage you to watch that exchange and the rest of the candidates in action.

It’s an exciting time, and I hope you will continue to stay informed and stand by us!

Wopila — Thank you, as always, for your friendship.

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project

DAPL Action Update

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DAPL expansion? No way!

Your voice is needed. For though the resistance at Standing Rock has been forcibly paused and oil now flows through the Dakota Access pipeline, the struggle to protect the health and safety of the tribe and people downstream isn’t over. Quickly and quietly, Energy Transfer Partners is planning to more than double the amount of oil DAPL carries, to more than a million barrels a day. And they’re doing this — once more — without the consent of the people.

It’s time to stand again with Standing Rock. We interviewed leaders from Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Pine Ridge, and Rosebud — and together we’re demanding transparency and input through a public hearing. Will you take a moment now to join us? You can use our form to send an email telling North Dakota’s Public Service Commission that the people must be heard!

 

mail

 

Big Oil assures us that increasing oil flow through pipelines isn’t dangerous, but U.S. regulators say their information doesn’t back that claim. And tar sands crude — the type of oil DAPL carries — is a special threat: corrosive to infrastructure, it caused a million-gallon spill into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan not long ago. The United States suffers hundreds of liquid pipeline incidents every year. Why should we trust Big Oil’s word?

Between now and the deadline for input on Aug. 9, we will do everything we can to ensure a public hearing — the first step in stopping DAPL from becoming twice as dangerous. The Black Snake’s presence must not be allowed to fester and grow without pushback from every corner of Turtle Island. Will you stand with us once again to ensure the safety of our people and our sacred land and water?

Wopila Tanka — Thank you for making a difference! Mni Wiconi.

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project

A Victory!

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Mission accomplished! After more than 1,200 of you sent emails in a single day, the White House declared a public assistance disaster for the Oglala Sioux Tribe — a major victory for Pine Ridge.

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This incredible news means that the Oglala will receive more than $10 million in support to rebuild public infrastructure like roads, water systems, and public housing. While it’s an extremely satisfying conclusion to months of hard work, we must not rest on our laurels.

LPLP’s flood relief efforts have been costly but well worth the investment. Your generosity now can provide for the crucial battles ahead. Please give today — and consider making a monthly contribution — as we gear up to defeat the Keystone XL pipeline and assist Pine Ridge’s full recovery.

At Pine Ridge, where 97 percent of people live below the poverty line, my role as public relations director for OST President Julian Bear Runner has given LPLP a new and powerful way to serve Lakota Country. As an officially-designated “Promise Zone,” Pine Ridge can apply for significant federal grant funding, but the tribe lacks the resources to do so. In addition to ensuring the FEMA process ends well, our Lakota Law team will help OST to optimize its Promise Zone opportunities.

Your ongoing friendship can also empower my colleagues, Phyllis Young and Madonna Thunder Hawk, at their home nations. Phyllis’ efforts to #GreenTheRez at Standing Rock are in full swing, and Madonna is organizing resistance to KXL at Cheyenne River.

Today, as we celebrate a great, shared victory, I ask that you stay with us and continue to pledge your support to our team so we can accomplish every critical goal we have for 2019 and the years to come.

Wopila Tanka — I can’t thank you enough for standing with Pine Ridge and LPLP!

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project

Pine Ridge Needs Your Help

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Stand with Pine Ridge: Federal Flood Relief Needed Now!
Months after the Pine Ridge Reservation was flooded by devastating winter storms, it’s still awaiting its own federal disaster declaration. Tell President Trump to do the right thing—declare an official public infrastructure disaster for the reservation and provide for the Oglala Lakota Nation.

From: https://www.lakotalaw.org/

We are now several months into our team effort to remind FEMA of its obligations to Indian Country. With the support of friends like you, we have made real progress: FEMA has now pledged to assist individual homeowners on the Pine Ridge Reservation with repairs—a major victory which will generate millions of dollars in aid.

That said, the federal process isn’t over, and we must push Washington D.C. one more time to get us across the finish line. Repairs to our public infrastructure — roads, water systems, bridges, culverts, and more — are still unfunded. We estimate that at least $10 million in damage exists, and that’s why politicians in D.C. need to know you’re paying attention.

 

Pine-Ridge-Flooding-screenshot_Teton

Please watch our new video, then send an email to the White House telling President Trump to grant the public assistance disaster declaration that Pine Ridge needs for infrastructure support.

When poor communities suffer disasters, they become even poorer — unless FEMA steps in to level the playing field. In the past, FEMA’s record has been terrible here at Pine Ridge. Last year, when a hail storm did millions of dollars of damage to homes, FEMA deemed the fallout “cosmetic” and did nothing. This time around, we’re committed to getting a better result for the people of one of the poorest communities in the nation.

So far, moral support from friends like you has helped us work with Oglala Sioux Tribe President Julian Bear Runner and the emergency management office here to bring more than a dozen skilled workers to the reservation. Together, we’ve raised money directly for the tribe, helped fill a warehouse with in-kind donations, and provided expert media and public outreach to keep the community and the wider world informed.

Now, the tribe’s request for infrastructure assistance is on Trump’s desk, and we’re awaiting his response. Watch our new video, sign our letter to the White House, and share this action with your networks. Please make your voice heard on behalf of Pine Ridge one more time.

Wopila — Your solidarity can keep the momentum going!

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
The Lakota People’s Law Project

Special thanks to the United Methodist Committee on Relief for offering essential financial support to our team during this period of crisis. Together with UMCOR and allies like you, we’ve been able to make a huge difference. Now it’s time for one last push to bring FEMA into the fold!

 

Nathan Phillips: A Hero

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Stand with Nathan Phillips for Peace with Justice
Fri, Feb 8, 2019 1:26 pm
Chase Iron Eyes, Lakota Law (info@lakotalaw.org
To:you Details
Lakota Law

Truth, Peace, Justice

Lakota Law
Sign the Letter for
Peace with Justice

In the wake of the events at the Lincoln Memorial after the Indigenous Peoples March, much has been said and written. After all the spin, we believe the clearly visible facts of the incident involving Nathan Phillips highlight the importance of having a real discussion about normalized and systemic racism and the need to build bridges of understanding that allow us to move forward as a society — peace with justice.

Please watch our video, in which I describe first-hand and contextualize the events that occurred at the Lincoln Memorial. Then please sign onto our open letter saying you stand with Nathan Phillips and his effort to promote racial harmony while confronting the injustice filtering down from the White House.

We believe in our brother, and we share Nate’s goals of bringing attention to the issues that divide us, of taking strong action to stop the cycle of repression and disrespect toward Indigenous people and immigrants, and of forwarding a progressive vision for a better future.

Let’s use what happened to keep the focus on the reasons we marched in the first place: stopping the epidemics of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women; the removal of Native American children from their families and tribes in violation of the Indian Child Welfare Act; and the despoiling of sacred, tribal lands by fossil fuel companies hellbent on warming our climate to a dangerous level.

Let’s show, en masse and unencumbered, that we won’t accept the spin from right-wing media outlets. Their game plan attempts to switch the focus to irrelevant details and conveniently ignore the genocide of Native Americans and past enslavement of African Americans — meaningful context to what happened in D.C. An Omaha-Ponca elder stepping in to halt a hostile exchange and diffuse racial tension is an act of bravery that needs to be replicated, not covered over.

The events at the Lincoln Memorial highlight how far we still have to go. You can help us harness the power of that moment to create real change. Your voice is needed, now more than ever.

Wopila Tanka—Your solidarity emboldens our struggle!

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
Lakota People’s Law Project

P.S. Please sign onto our open letter today, and share it far and wide. Your support can help us continue to engage key influencers — political figures, clergy, and allied organizations among them — and ensure that Nathan’s stand was not in vain. You can help Indigenous peoples take back our collective power by standing with Nathan Phillips, in dignity, for peace with justice.
Lakota People's Law Project
Lakota People’s Law Project
547 South 7th #149
Bismarck, ND 58504-5859

The Lakota People’s Law Project is part of the Romero Institute, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) law and policy center. All donations are tax-deductible.

 

News Update: April 2018

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Lakota People's Law Project
https://www.lakotalaw.org/resources/legal-update-from-chase-iron-eyes-attorneys

Chase Iron Eyes and Family

Thank you for your support throughout what has been both an exciting and a trying year. After yesterday, we have much reason for optimism. Yesterday was a good energy day. I am now absolutely sure we can win this fight in the end, and we are winning this fight now.

Ruling on several important issues in court yesterday, Judge Lee Christofferson admonished prosecutors for withholding key evidence, set deadlines for them to furnish that evidence to my legal team, reaffirmed our right to collect additional evidence from militarized DAPL security firm TigerSwan, and extended the timeline of my trial to November. This is all tremendous news and my heart is filled with hope.

My case, and HolyElk’s, are truly unique. No other water protectors have been granted the right to pursue this scope of evidence. We aren’t playing it safe, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. You can watch the video to see our legal team discuss yesterday’s hearing’s monumental outcomes.

I will be clear that, even with all the positive outcomes, our fight is not without serious challenges. The forces mobilized against us continue to stand their ground more strongly than ever, as evidenced by Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier’s testimony yesterday, under oath, denying TigerSwan’s influence over the policing at Standing Rock.

Even so, we had a great moment in court when, under cross examination by our chief counsel, Daniel Sheehan, Sheriff Kirchmeier admitted that attendance records of law enforcement meetings not only exist, but show that three TigerSwan employees (whose names he conveniently forgot) attended those meetings regularly.

With our now-confirmed ability to aggressively pursue these records, and with the judge’s stern warning to prosecution and the sheriff that he will “vigorously enforce” our right to them, the pieces are falling into place. The sheriff has until May 1 to give us all we’ve asked for.

Our beautiful battle began in the camps of Standing Rock and now echoes in the courtrooms of North Dakota. We’ll prove that law enforcement colluded with TigerSwan and pipeline parent company Energy Transfer Partners. We’ll show that they ran a violent, racist, no-holds-barred campaign against our prayerful circle.

The coming months promise much hard work as our team collects evidence and builds our landmark defense that can protect our rights to free speech and protest into the future. I ask that you continue to stand with us by sharing our exciting news with your friends and relatives. Let’s keep the circle strong. We have much to do.

Pilamaya – Thank you for standing with us!

Chase Iron Eyes
Lead Counsel
Lakota People’s Law Project
Lakota People's Law Project

Lakota People’s law Project
Romero Institute
210 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
United States

The Lakota People’s law Project is part of the 501(c)(3) Romero Institute, an interfaith law and policy center. All donations are tax-deductible

 

 

Last Child Camp

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There is a constant narrative coming from North Dakota that these people who are against the pipeline are inciting riots and are trespassing on private land. The land in question is part of treaty land, territory that is in dispute. I encourage everyone to research this and spread the truth. I believe this is the exact reason WHY the pipeline was routed where it is.