Northern Cheyenne: Who Holds the Power—and Who Holds It Accountable?

The Northern Cheyenne leadership dispute is often presented as a contest between Gene Small and the Tribal Council. But there is a larger public-interest question: Who has authority, what limits that authority, and how can tribal members hold every officeholder accountable?

On September 30, 2026, the Council voted to remove Small and named Vice President Ernest Littlemouth Sr. acting president. Small disputes the removal. Council members have alleged improper actions involving personnel and finances; those allegations deserve examination. Small’s objections to the Council’s process deserve examination too. The vote establishes what the Council decided—not, by itself, the answer to every contested procedural or legal question.

The amended Northern Cheyenne Constitution provides essential rules. Article VII addresses removal for specified failures or gross neglect by a two-thirds Council vote after a fair opportunity to be heard; complaints against the president or a council member must be written and sworn. When the presidency becomes vacant, the vice president serves as acting president pending the constitutionally required process. Whether the September proceeding satisfied every applicable requirement remains contested.

The Council’s authority over money is substantial but limited. Article IV, Section 1(f) calls for expenditures of Council-controlled tribal funds to be approved by resolution at a legal session, and the amounts must be a matter of public record. Article XI establishes distinct legislative, executive and judicial branches. Council votes on new consulting, procurement and organizational matters make the public availability of resolutions, contracts and spending records especially important.

These are not simply disagreements among politicians. Decisions about tribal schools, employees, 638 programs, access to offices and continuity of services can affect students, workers and families. Accountability requires examining the evidence behind claims about Gene Small and the evidence behind claims about the Council—with the same standards applied to everyone.

The September 30 proceedings also raise questions about the opportunity to be heard. The publisher of Truth in Focus personally viewed a video of the proceedings and recalls discussion of a request for additional time. We are seeking the complete original recording to check the precise exchange, its context, and the sequence of events. We have publicly invited people holding recordings to contact the newsroom and are asking the recording owners for permission before republishing video. No video will be presented as an authenticated complete record until the source and footage are checked. Questions also remain about the resolutions cited during the proceedings and public access to the hearing.

Truth in Focus has sent specific questions and records requests to the Tribal Council and to Small. As of October 10, the newsroom has not received a direct response to its outstanding Council questions. The Council has issued public statements and meeting videos, which are part of the record; those materials are not necessarily answers to the specific questions asked. We welcome responses, authenticated documents and corrections from all parties, and will update this report when the record changes.

Sources and documents

Northern Cheyenne Amended Constitution (1996), Articles IV, VII and XI — Montana Indian Law; Buffalo’s Fire, October 2, 2026: Council removal vote and Small’s challenge; Buffalo’s Fire, October 6, 2026: Council spending and contracts. Truth in Focus firsthand observation of video; full original footage requested for verification and permission to republish.