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Oklahoma's Secretary of Native American Affairs, Lisa Billy, submitted her resignation Monday amid the state's compact negotiations with state tribal leaders, according to a resignation letter addressed to the governor.

Billy is a member of the Chickasaw and served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2004 to 2016. She became a part of Gov. Kevin Stitt's cabinet when she was made the state's first Secretary of Native American Affairs.

TulsaWold.com reports that in a pointed resignation letter, former state Rep. Lisa Billy said Stitt is "committed to an unnecessary conflict" with the state's tribal governments and "remained intent on breaking faith with them."

A six-term Republican representative from Purcell, Billy is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, whose gaming operations Stitt targeted for audit on Jan. 2.

NewsOn6.com reports Attorney General Mike Hunter backed out of negotiations earlier in December. 

“Under Article VI, Section 8 of the Oklahoma Constitution and 74.0.S. S1221, the governor is given authority to enter into agreements with the federally recognized tribes,” attorney general's office spokesman Alex Gerszewski said in a statement. “Accordingly, the attorney general and the governor have agreed to return the lead agency over tribal gaming compact negotiations to the Governor’s Office. This will allow the governor and his legal counsel to negotiate directly with tribes to hopefully develop a path forward.”

Governor Kevin Stitt last week issued the following statement in response to the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association’s press conference to announce a rejection of the State’s offer to extend tribal gaming compacts by eight months.

“The State offered the extension to protect the parties’ legal positions and to provide legal certainty to those working with or visiting the casinos as the January 1, 2020 deadline approaches,” said Gov. Stitt. “I am disappointed that the tribes turned our offer down and refused our requests to negotiate new compact terms that better address the parties’ changing needs. I will continue to work to protect the State’s interests, and I hope that those running the casino industry will negotiate with the State in good faith as these compacts demand.”   

The State’s offer would have extended the gaming compacts’ Jan. 1, 2020 date, referenced in Part 15B, to August 31, 2020. The extension made no further amendments to Part 15B and included clear language that allows both parties to maintain their legal positions, stating, “Whereas, the Tribe and the State desire to preserve their respective legal arguments regarding that disagreement.” 

A full copy of the extension can be found here.

In the State’s letter to the tribes last week, Gov. Stitt said, “The State of Oklahoma is offering an extension to all current gaming compacts between tribes and the State in order to allow us the necessary time to negotiate. An extension will also alleviate any questions or concerns that lenders, employees, entertainers, vendors, and patrons have concerning whether the Class III gaming activities at the casinos are legal as of January 1, 2020.”

A full copy of the letter can be found here.

KWON AM 1400 and FM 93.3 is trying to get Governor Stitt for his comments on these recent developments. We have also scheduled an interview with Cherokee Nation Principle Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr for Thursday, December 26th to talk about the gaming situation.

The Letter

December 23, 2019

The Honorable Kevin Stitt

Governor

212 State Capitol Building

2300 North Lincoln Boulevard

Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Dear Governor Stitt:

It has been an honor to serve as Oklahoma’s first Secretary of Native American Affairs. I will always appreciate your giving me the opportunity. It is accordingly with a heavy heart that I must resign.

I had hoped service on your cabinet would allow me to be part of a new Administration’s efforts to deepen and strengthen State relations with Sovereign Tribal Nations. Leaning in to this opportunity, I have, at my own expense, visited elected tribal leaders across the State, hosted a tribal youth summit, created opportunities for our cabinet to tour Tribal industry, communicated your message to various Inter-Tribal councils, and shared cultural protocol appropriate to supporting effective intergovernmental collaboration.

All my efforts have focused on improving the health of the State-Tribal relationship. I am proud of this work and, again, am grateful for having had the opportunity.

However, it has become increasingly clear you are committed to an unnecessary conflict that poses a real risk of lasting damage to the State-Tribal relationship and to our economy. You have dismissed advice and facts that show the peril of your chosen approach and have remained intent on breaking faith with the Tribes, both by refusing to engage with the compact’s language and, more recently, by suggesting you would displace our Tribal partners with private, out-of-state commercial gaming operators. Your actions have shown that my continuing in service on your cabinet is unnecessary to you and impossible for me. I must accordingly resign, effective immediately.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve. I will continue to work and to pray for the great state of Oklahoma and all her citizens!

Respectfully,