Follow the Money, Part 6: The Audits, Range Program and Federal Warnings

Truth in Focus | Follow the Money | Part 6 of 6 | Version 1.5 (2026)

By Steven Bullcoming Haworth | Collaborator: Corry Bullcoming Haworth

Federal records, not simply political allegations

The March 21, 2022 Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council packet contains letters issued in 2021 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) concerning overdue Single Audit reports and the Tribe’s Public Law 93-638 agricultural Range Program contract A20AV01064. The Council also criticized former President Donna Fisher’s executive oversight. The BIA’s own letters establish that serious administrative problems were documented while she served as president.

Federal findings about a tribal program are not automatically findings that the president personally misappropriated money, and they are not criminal convictions. Responsibility for particular failures must be examined through the contract, assigned duties and decisions of the officials involved.

May and June 2021: the Range Program warnings

A May 13, 2021 BIA letter to Fisher described failures to maintain the Trust Asset Accounting Management System (TAAMS), hire and train required staff, maintain grazing records, report necessary information and carry out agreed contract functions. It called for corrective action. A June 21 letter described technical assistance and outstanding issues.

August 6: Partial emergency reassumption

On August 6, 2021, BIA announced a partial emergency reassumption of certain agricultural-contract responsibilities, specifically administration and management of grazing permits within TAAMS. This was an actual federal administrative intervention, not merely the Council’s opinion.

The BIA letter reported $654,551.27 in delinquent grazing-rent debt owed to trust landowners and the Tribe through 2021. It broke the amount down as FY2018: $27,606.61; FY2019: $64,978.12; FY2020: $130,335.60; and FY2021 through the date of the letter: $431,630.94. The individual figures sum to $654,551.27. These were unpaid amounts owed by grazing operators or permittees—not a federal finding that an official stole that amount.

The BIA also reported $88,326.41 held in the TAAMS lockbox for rental payments on nine grazing permits, awaiting allocation and distribution, and 83 approved grazing permits not electronically submitted for recording. Funds awaiting processing should not be described as missing or stolen.

The BIA letter discussed a possible $112,240 FY2022 funding withholding contingent on an approved recontracting proposal. It did not alone prove that the money was ultimately withheld. Later corrective-action and reassumption records are needed to establish what happened afterward.

The federal audit notices

The packet includes BIA letters dated February 8, April 21, June 4 and September 30, 2021. The agency said the Tribe had not submitted its fiscal-year 2019 Single Audit. The March 2022 Council statement also described fiscal-year 2020 as overdue. BIA’s September 30 letter described restrictions on advance payments of contract funds because the 2019 report remained outstanding.

These actions could affect funding and program operations, but the 2021–2022 documents do not establish whether the same audit reports are still overdue in November 2026. Any present-tense claim requires updated filings and federal confirmation.

What the president’s role means

The 2021 letters were addressed to Fisher as tribal president, and the Council attributed some failures to executive oversight. A president’s broad responsibility does not mean the president personally carried out each program function or caused every deficiency. Accountability requires records showing who had which duties, who made decisions and what corrective actions were taken.

Why the history matters now

Fisher has been reported as a candidate for the Ashland District Tribal Council seat in the November 3, 2026 election. Voters have a legitimate interest in the historical administrative record and in any subsequent audits, corrections or responses. Truth in Focus endorses no candidate in this series and applies the same documentary standards to all officeholders.

The 2022 removal proceedings should not be presented as based entirely on the Range Program or audit concerns without the actual removal record. Council assertions, agency findings, administrative actions, removal proceedings and criminal charges involve different evidentiary questions.

Next records and right of response

Truth in Focus will seek the FY2019–FY2021 Single Audit reports and submission confirmations, corrective-action plans, the full Range Program contract, later BIA reviews, reassumption or return-of-functions documents, and relevant council resolutions.

Truth in Focus previously sent Fisher an inquiry about her 2022 removal and a separate D&R Disposal payment, not a question specifically addressing this Range Program and audit record. We have not confirmed a Range Program-specific response request to her. We welcome statements and supporting records from Fisher, tribal officials, BIA and relevant program administrators.

Accountability beyond an election

This six-part series has examined signed resolutions, transaction listings, vendor invoices, staffing proposals, and formal federal findings. Some show money changing hands or obligations being proposed; some state the Council’s allegations; and the BIA records document administrative deficiencies and federal intervention. The public deserves to know what happened, what was corrected, who was responsible, and what safeguards exist now. Accountability does not end when an official leaves office or seeks office again.

Primary-source documents

Original sources, attributed allegations and unresolved questions are distinguished. Please submit firsthand documentation, corrections or responses to the Truth in Focus newsroom.