Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt discusses his Cherokee identity and why he's at odds with Cherokee leaders

Описание: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt proudly identifies as part of the Cherokee Nation. He traces his ancestry to a list of Cherokees the U.S. government compiled in the 1800s.

He’s also odds with Cherokee leaders, the latest chapter of the centuries-old American conflict over native land.

Eastern Oklahoma once was Indian Territory, a homeland for Cherokees and other tribes who had been forced to surrender their land in the eastern US. Indian Territory was incorporated into the new state in 1907, but tribes maintained their governments and some of their old sovereignty.

Since his election has governor in 2018, Stitt has battled tribes over the extent of that sovereignty. He pressed them to share more casino revenue with the state. Court cases have tested the enforcement of state law.

In 2020, the Supreme Court found Oklahoma had no right to enforce state law against tribal members in "Indian country." That power belonged to the tribes. The Court set aside the conviction of a Seminole man for sexual crimes in the Creek Nation.

Stitt disagreed with the ruling by Justice Neil Gorsuch, as you hear in the clip above. For their part, Cherokees have sued Stitt over enforcing state wildlife laws.

Head to our channel to watch the full conversation.