Tribal leaders oppose Congressman for his attempts to derail Joe Biden's pick

Native American tribes in Minnesota congressman's district have expressed their disapproval over his attempts to derail President-elect Joe Biden's pick for Interior secretary. If confirmed, Rep. Deb Haaland from New Mexico, will be the first native American to lead the Department of the Interior. Also, Republican Rep. Pete Stauber, who is a member of the House subcommittee on Indigenous People, has been asking lawmakers to join him in urging Biden’s transition team to withdraw Haaland’s nomination.

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Letter by Stauber 

According to reports by AP, Stauber wrote a letter seeking support for the same. In the letter, he said, “Nominating Representative Haaland is a direct threat to working men and women and a rejection of responsible development of America’s natural resources”. A statement of his office said that policies like the Green New Deal “would place a moratorium on mining in Northern Minnesota, would severely and negatively impact every economic sector and family in Northeastern Minnesota”. 

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In another letter, it accused Stauber of bowing to big industrial interests at their expense and has been signed by leaders of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe .The Tribal leaders, in their letter, wrote, “This historic nomination is more important to us and all of Indian country than any other Cabinet nomination in recent history. Your opposition to the first and only American Indian ever nominated to a Cabinet position is likely to reverberate across Indian Country”. 

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(Image Credits: AP)