Group protests ethics charges on councilwoman

A group of protesters gathered outside the Colville Business Council's meeting chambers Friday as part of the council debated a move that would lead to expelling one of their own members.

Ethics charges had been filed, dropped and apparently filed again on Councilmember Andrea George, who won a seat at the council last summer to represent the Nespelem District.

Amid chants and drumming outside the tribal headquarters Friday, cars and pickups drove by on SR-155 and honked in support of those waving protest signs on sticks.

Their placards held messages about "bullies" on the council and seeking justice for George, who had said in a Facebook post that an ethics charge leveled by someone in the Office of the Reservation Attorney would be considered in the Colville Business Council's Rules Committee Feb. 1.

According to Tillie Gorr, of the Omak District, said ethics violations seem to be filed against women and others on the council who were voted in by the people but oppose initiatives sought by other council members.

"We came together to show our support for Andrea," she said. "We are really upset with the chair for management and Budget and ethics committees. ... We feel that it has become more than personal."

Inside, the Rules Committee was meeting in close session on the charges.

Gorr said it's a repeating pattern: Charges were filed three times on an Inchelium councilwoman, another Omak councilwoman was expelled, charges were filed on yet another Omak councilwoman, and now on George, twice.

"It's been an ongoing thing for the last three or four years," Gorr said.

She said George is an attorney and former judge, whom she and many others worked to get elected to help the council in dealing with many complex issues.

But George's calling attention to possible legal problems appears to be unappreciated, Gorr claimed, so she's now a target for expulsion.

The group of about 15 protesters call themselves "Colvilles for Justice," and rally anytime there appears to be something "really wrong in our government system," Gorr said.

"Now our other Nespelem council women are afraid that they are next," Gorr said.

The Rules Committee reportedly voted to move ahead with George's expulsion, a move that Gorr said means she'll be voted out when the full council meets later this month.