The Payment/Paquin Relationship
Payment and Paquin have not always been at odds. They had a scratch my back I'll scratch your back association. It has always been about the votes. In the past Paquin has always been an avid Bouschor supporter. That would all change in the 2004 Election and the ABB campaign waged by the BG Committee. Upon Payment's induction to the Chair, they would immediately become aligned for their own personal agendas.
The Election Of 2004
The impact of the BG Committee would bring in a New Chairman, but an old face. Aaron Payment would see his opportunity to slip in the backdoor. From alleged death threats to a Michael Jackson Mailer the Election of 2004 would be chuck-full of hate and lies. Bouschor had his pocket-man with Paquin and several Campaign rallies were held in the St. Ignace Area. Fast Freddie and his love for Aaron Payment sent out the above mailer.
The Double Dipping Issue
Payment after campaigning on eliminating double dipping, would become one of Paquin's biggest behind the scene supporters on this issue. Payment's support of Paquin would even baffle his sidekick Todd Gravelle. Payment would twist and turn the issue and stated in one email that " Rob Lambert should be held to the same standard as Fred Paquin". The whole issue here was that the double dippers who were Tribal employees would be in a position to abuse their power. The Board would waste countless hours and thousands of dollars skirting this issue so Aaron Payment had Fred Paquin's vote on his pet peeve resolutions. In that time period Paquin would be behind the scenes doing his dirty work.
Massey Complaint
Many times, Tribal Members would appear in front of the Board to address why nothing was being done regarding Ms. Massey's complaint. Aaron Payment would again give every excuse in the book why it wouldn't be addressed. Again at the time Payment had Paquin's vote. Again Paquin would slip out of these allegations compliments of Aaron Payment. Justice was never served in the complaint.
The Letter
On June 2nd of 2005 Aaron Payments Grants Administrator Toni Osterhout would receive correspondence from the Department of Interior. This letter would seek assistance in investigating a complaint of the misuse of funds within the Tribal Police Department. This letter would be ignored by Aaron Payment's Administration. More than likely because at the time Aaron Payment had Fred Paquin's vote. Today the Tribe is paying dearly for the inaction's by the Payment Administration. Above is the letter.
Gravelle's Problems
Gravelle became the Tribes Party boy about the Town. Wherever the Party was you could find Todd Gravelle inebriated. Gravelle would miss Meetings or show-up hungover. Rarely would he been seen at a workshop. It would be nothing to see Gravelle sleeping off the previous nights drunk in someones car in the parking lot. Aaron Payment observed this and did nothing. He would most times ride with Aaron Payment to Tribal functions. Payment looked the other way to Gravelle's inappropriate behavior. He knew he had Gravelle's vote locked in.
Todd Gravelle would be arrested for the possession of drugs. In his drug induced paranoid mind, Gravelle would blame Paquin for his misfortune. Soon the circus would begin. He would soon be named "3 Counts Gravelle".
Greektown
While Payment & Paquin were playing footsie, Greektown was going down at a rapid pace. By all indications Greektown was out of Payments league and he would soon be replaced as Chairman by none other then Fast Freddie. Announced by Gaming News in August of 2007.
Payment would become paranoid and had nightmares the BOD was trying to remove him from his perch in the Sault Tribe. He went public with these trumped-up allegations in January of 2008.
http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/sault-tribe-chairman-controversy/
Loss Of Control
By this time things were clearly out of control under the Payment Leadership. In order to take away the focus on Payment, he would have to project it onto someone else. Payment was in the frying pan and was set to go into the fire.
http://indiancountrynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2766&Itemid=70
By that time and rightfully so, Fred Paquin was under the micro-scope for alleged non-consensual adulterous activities. With weak leadership and nothing to campaign on Payment would through Paquin into the fire too late. These type of allegations were nothing new to Paquin. Tribal Elder Tony Grondin named him the Teflon Fred for a reason. He would easily slip out of this one and keep his high paying job.
The Feds Show
Big headlines in the Sault Evening News read, FBI ARRESTS FORMER TRIBAL POLICE CHIEF.
http://www.sooeveningnews.com/news/x1689215145/FBI-arrests-former-tribal-police-chief
This article would soon snowball all across Nationwide media outlets and blogs. With an upcoming election in the Sault Tribe, Payment would jump on the bandwagon again. Again Payment would bring forth his unsubstantiated claims that were so persuasive in previous elections. Again these half-truths will be countered with substantiated truths.
Hopefully, what will come out of this investigation is Justice. The Members have suffered far to long at the hands of a greedy few.
This blog will continue to keep you up to date on Sault Tribe issues they don't want you to hear about. The truth hurts at times, but it can set you free in the end.
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