Voters in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation ousted their principal chief in Saturday’s general election.
Outgoing chief George Tiger’s term has been mired in controversy, including calls for his removal from office earlier this year.
By an almost two-to-one margin, Creek citizens elected James Floyd the tribe’s new principal chief . He’s the retired director of a Veterans Administration medical center in Muskogee, and has also worked with the Indian Health Services.
Floyd told the Tulsa World newspaper he was surprised by the results:
On Sunday afternoon, Floyd said he had not had an opportunity yet to discuss a transition plan with Tiger but hoped to get a schedule worked out within the coming days. He did note that his top priority upon taking office has not changed, something that was reiterated Saturday night during his campaign’s watch party in Morris. “There is not going to be a mass firing of employees,” he said. “We want to assess the talents of those employees who are already there. I know there are some great people working there. I want to visit with them, ask them where they feel they’re most valuable and give them the opportunity to speak up.”
Floyd will take office in January.
Outgoing chief George Tiger received a no-confidence vote from the tribe’s National Council earlier this year, and a grassroots petition calling for his impeachment failed after organizers didn’t get the signatures of at least 20 percent of registered Creek voters.
In March, the Tulsa World revealed Tiger signed a secret contract in 2009 with a casino that would’ve competed with the Creek Nation’s own facility. Tiger has said he did nothing wrong because he wasn’t chief when the deal took place.
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