QUAPAW, Okla. – Quapaw Business Committee Vice-Chairman J.R. Mathews announced that he is resigning from his position at the Downstream Development Authority, as Vice-Chairman of the Quapaw Business Council and from his position as Treasurer of the National Indian Gaming Association effective May 15.
In a statement released last week, Mathews called the decision personal.
“The reasons for this difficult decision are deeply personal. I regret the circumstances requiring this action,” he wrote.
Mathews was recently accused along with two other DDA officials by the Quapaw Grievance Committee of personally and unjustifiably profiting from operations of the DDA, which runs the tribe’s Downstream Casino Resort.
But Mathews’ resignation isn’t related to the allegations, said public relations manager Sean Harrison.
Mathews resigned upon the request of Quapaw Tribal Business Committee Chairman John Berrey and the Downstream Development Authority, Harrison said.
“This is unrelated to the false allegations raised through the tribe’s Grievance Committee in March,” Harrison said. “It is a Downstream personnel matter, and it is our policy not to discuss personnel matters about any current or former employee.”
Mathews couldn’t be reached for comment, and Harrison said Mathews didn’t submit a resignation letter.
The Quapaw Grievance Committee began investigating Mathews, Berrey and George “Ranny” McWatters in 2009, requesting aid from the tribe’s gaming agency at an Oct. 17 meeting.
Jim Greenfeather, John Rader and Mick Wilson presented a 13-page resolution alleging misconduct by the three men at the tribe’s March 20 general council meeting.
According to the report, the three DDA officers set their salaries, benefits and bonuses without oversight and misused their DDA credit cards.
Rader later recanted his signature on the report and asked that his name be taken off the document, stating he did not clearly understand what he was signing.