OPINION | By Steven Bullcoming Haworth | Truth in Focus | October 18, 2026
Why public information, reliable records and fair reporting matter during a time of uncertainty.
Over the past several weeks, I have spent considerable time reviewing documents, studying the Northern Cheyenne Constitution, examining tribal laws and trying to understand the governmental dispute affecting the Northern Cheyenne Nation.
I’ve heard from people who are trying to understand what is happening in their government. To those who have reached out, asked serious questions, shared public records or encouraged a careful examination of the facts, thank you. These questions deserve attention, even when the answers are complicated.
One challenge has become clear: obtaining complete, reliable information has not always been easy. Truth in Focus has reviewed publicly available resolutions, court materials, personnel policies and news reports. We have also reached out through official channels seeking additional documentation or explanations. Some records have been accessible; others remain difficult to locate.
When citizens cannot readily find documents underlying government decisions, they may be left comparing announcements, allegations and competing interpretations without a common set of records.
And I will say what many readers are feeling: this is getting out of hand. People are asking questions about notices, decisions, employee instructions and government authority. How am I supposed to report reliable answers when I cannot yet obtain the underlying records and explanations from the offices responsible for those actions? I can tell readers what a published document says. I can identify the questions it raises. But I cannot manufacture an official answer or substitute rumor for a record.
Truth in Focus has contacted Tribal Council representatives and has requested further information through official channels, including a specific October 18 request to the Tribal Secretary for meeting minutes, resolutions, officer appointments and administrative policies. That latest request is recent, and I am not saying it has been refused. Nor does a general records inquiry replace a request for comment about each individual article. I am saying that our questions are on the table, the opportunity to respond is open to everyone involved, and we will report substantiated answers, corrections and additional context when they are provided.
I’m not asking officials to agree with me or asking readers to choose a side. I’m asking those making announcements and exercising public responsibilities to help the community understand the records behind their decisions. We will follow the documents, ask the questions, check the receipts and be clear about what we still do not know.
I believe citizens should have a clear way to obtain information they are lawfully entitled to review. That does not mean every government record must be public. Personnel matters, protected legal communications and private information can be subject to legitimate restrictions. Official decisions should nevertheless have an identifiable documentary basis and an understandable process for accessing appropriate records.
I am not an enrolled Northern Cheyenne tribal member and do not claim to speak for the Nation. My spouse, Corry Bullcoming Haworth, is an enrolled member, and our family and friends have deep connections to the community. Those relationships explain why I care about how government decisions affect people. They do not give me authority to decide the Tribe’s future.
My responsibility as a publisher is different: identify what evidence establishes, acknowledge what remains uncertain and offer relevant parties a fair opportunity to provide their perspectives.
People may disagree with my questions or personal opinions. That is fair. But a question about a public record should be answered, where possible, with the record rather than an assumption about the person asking.
As colder weather approaches, households are thinking about employment, heating bills, food and access to services. Government uncertainty matters most when it affects ordinary families, employees and people seeking assistance.
Transparency cannot eliminate disagreement, and records do not guarantee everyone will approve of a decision. Reliable information does give citizens a shared foundation for discussing those decisions.
Truth in Focus will continue distinguishing verified records from allegations, correcting errors and presenting competing claims fairly. We welcome official documents, clarifications and responses from all sides.
The Northern Cheyenne Nation belongs to its people. Its future must be determined through sovereign laws and institutions, not an outside publisher.
We’re not asking people to accept our conclusions. We’re asking for the records that allow them to reach their own.
Editor’s disclosure: This is opinion, not straight news reporting. The author has personal and family ties to the Northern Cheyenne community. Confidential correspondence and private investigative material are excluded.