Chief Hoskin Issues Statement on Governor Stitt Appointment of Wes Nofire as Oklahoma Native American Liaison
Following Governor Stitt’s appointment of Wes Nofire to serve as Oklahoma Native American Liaison, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. issued the following statement:
“Governor Stitt’s selection of Wes Nofire as the state’s Native American liaison is disappointing, which is to say it comes as no surprise. We continue to hope for a day in which the depths of knowledge of Indian Country issues on Governor Stitt’s team deepens. It’s now shallower. Wes Nofire’s brief time in elected office was marked by a hostility toward Cherokee tribal sovereignty, a lack of understanding broadly of the issues facing Indian Country, and his peddling of conspiracy theories about Cherokee Nation, which can only be described as unhinged. Governor Stitt’s stances toward tribes, the most hostile in state history, will now be informed by someone who aligns closely with the Governor’s own views, sadly. Fortunately, there are a broad array of state leaders with whom we can and will continue to work.”