Mescalero Apache President Eddie Martinez suspended for malfeasance, neglect of duty

Jessica Onsurez, Ruidoso News
·2 min read

President of the Mescalero Apache Tribe Eddie Martinez was placed on suspension Aug. 28 amid allegations of misconduct and neglect of duty.

An Aug. 31 letter to Martinez from the Tribal Council, signed by Council Secretary Ardena Orosco, stated that the suspension was immediate and that an investigation had been initiated into the allegations.

According to the letter, Martinez failed to excuse himself from a vote by the Inn of the Mountain Gods Management Board in which a "sponsorship/donation" in the amount of $4,800 was made to his brother.

The letter noted the vote was a violation of conflict of interest standards, and called his actions "malfeasance."

More:Eddie Martinez elected president of Mescalero Apache Tribe

Martinez was also accused, per the letter, of "gross neglect of duty" for failing to appoint an Election Board as required in Tribal Code. The Code calls for the appointment to be made 90 days ahead of the primary election.

The Mescalero Apache Tribe's election proclamation called for Primary Elections to be held Oct. 4, with a Sept. 2 deadline for candidates to file statements of interest. There are four Tribal Council Member positions open, along with three school board positions. The General Election was scheduled for Nov. 8.

Both allegations, according to the letter, constitute grounds for removal from office.

While the letter, indicates an investigation into the allegations, it does not state who would conduct the investigation or lay out a timeline for its completion, rather it notes that any investigation would be completed "within a reasonable amount of time."

The letter also directs Martinez to abstain from contacting Tribal employees about his suspension, and from taking any direct actions as president.

Martinez is also barred from accessing his office, vehicle, phone, email or credit card until the investigation is complete.

According to Tribal Code, Vice-President Bernalyn Via would assume the presidential duties during Martinez's suspension.

Martinez was elected in November 2021 with 583 votes. He was previously the vice president of the Tribal Council.

Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JussGREAT.

This article originally appeared on Ruidoso News: Mescalero Apache President suspended for malfeasance, neglect of duty