Birdinground's predecessor,former Chairwoman Clara Nomee,was indicted in 1997 convicted of felony theft of tribal land in September 1998.[1] However,her conviction to did not prohibit her from holding tribal office.[1] She ran for re-election for a sixth term in 2000.[1] However,Birdinground won the May 2000 election,defeating Nomee with 67% of the vote.[1]
Birdinground took office in 2000. Upon taking office,Birdinground canceled all deals and transactions made by the Nomee administration following her 1997 indictment.[2] He also fired approximately 130 tribal government employees.[2]
Birdinground pleaded guilty to one count of bribery in U.S. federal court in 2002,and resigned from office in a letter of resignation dated September 5,2002.[3][4] He was sentenced to 37 months in prison in September 2003 and,after a series of appeals,was ordered to begin serving his sentence January 4,2007,at the Florence Federal Correctional Complex in Colorado.[1][5]
Birdinground was succeeded by interim Crow Vice Chairman Vincent Goes Ahead Jr. upon his resignation in September 2002.[3] Goes Ahead,who had been elected vice chairman in 2000,ran for the special election to complete the remainder of Birdinground's unexpired term in November 2002.[3] However,Goes Ahead was defeated in the election by Carl Venne.[3] Venne received 1,589 votes to win,while Goes Ahead received 1,481 votes.[3] Venne was sworn in as Birdinground's permanent successor on November 12,2002.[3] Goes Ahead remained Vice Chairman until his term expired in 2004.[3]
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