Colleague's comments on tribe rile commissioner

Flathead County Commissioner Gary Krueger has sharply criticized fellow Commissioner Phil Mitchell for purportedly derogatory comments Mitchell made about American Indians in a newspaper article about the proposed tribal water-rights compact.

“I cannot stress enough the outrage I have for Mr. Mitchell’s misrepresentation of Flathead County,” Krueger said in a letter to the editor submitted to the Daily Inter Lake and other area newspapers.

Mitchell told the Inter Lake on Thursday that he apologizes for the remarks.

Mitchell was quoted in a recent Flathead Beacon story about Gov. Steve Bullock’s response to the commissioners’ letter of opposition to the state and federal compact with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

“My frustration is the Salish Kootenai Tribe is a sovereign nation on their own,” Mitchell said in the Beacon article. “They are not a part of the United States; they are when they feel like it, when they want federal funds, but they are not a part of us.”

Krueger said as a commissioner chosen by the electorate of Flathead County to administer the affairs of the county “fairly and without prejudice or racism,” he was compelled to respond to Mitchell’s statement.

“Mr. Mitchell’s statement that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe is not a part of the United States is an embarrassment to me, Flathead County administration and the employees of Flathead County,” Krueger wrote. “Please understand that Mr. Mitchell’s views are not held by Flathead County and his statements were made as an individual and not as a representative of the office of the Flathead County commissioners.”

Krueger apologized to anyone Mitchell may have offended and asked that “misjudgment on the part of Mr. Mitchell not become the lens Flathead County, its officials and employees are viewed through.”

Mitchell issued a public apology on Thursday, saying he’s “sorry for what I said about the tribe.

“It doesn’t reflect my heart,” Mitchell said. “I understand and am glad that Native Americans are proud citizens of the U.S.

“The point I hoped to make is that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes has negotiated against nontribal Montanans as a separate sovereign nation seeking significant off-reservation water rights and funding that I don’t believe it’s entitled to,” Mitchell said.

“I continue to believe that this compact is not in the best interests of Montana and Flathead County citizens, and the Legislature should reject it,” he continued.

Mitchell reiterated that there are differences for people living on and off reservations and that tribal government is different from nontribal government.

Mitchell said he has not received any emails or phone calls about his comments but did receive more than 20 emails “saying thank you for supporting us on [opposing] the compact when no one else does.”

Krueger said in his letter that “had any county employee while administering Flathead County business made those derogatory statements, the employee would face serious disciplinary action.

“As commissioners we must hold ourselves to the highest of ethical standards,” Krueger said.

County Administrator Mike Pence said depending on the circumstances, a county employee making derogatory or racist remarks while on the job could be reprimanded by either a verbal or written response. In an extreme case the employee could be terminated, he said.

Commissioner Pam Holmquist, who supported the county’s letter to state officials expressing opposition to the compact, said she appreciated the Inter Lake “reaching out” to her, but declined to comment on the matter.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.