Governor Kevin Stitt has announced the appointment of Wes Nofire to serve as his new Oklahoma Native American Liaison.
Prior to joining Stitt’s office, Nofire served on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council.
The liaison’s position does not require Senate confirmation. It will pay $100,000 annually.
Stitt said, “Wes brings a deep familiarity with tribal governments and people across Oklahoma. His work for the Cherokee Government makes him an ideal choice as we build bridges between my office and Tribal governments.
“Throughout his career, Wes has advocated for fairness for all Oklahomans and has fought against systems that seek to treat people differently based on race or heritage.”
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. recently defeated Nofire in a four-way race for Chief, he commented, “Gov. Stitt’s selection of 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 Gov. Stitt’s team deepens. It’s now shallower."
He continued, “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.”
Muscogee Principal Chief David Hill, said, “The Governor sets the direction for his administration, and he has made it clear that his policy is hostility towards Tribes and their authority.
“It’s hard to see one staff appointment changing that. Others have tried and ended up walking away when they found themselves as pawns in the Governor’s deceptive campaign.”
