Patrick Lambert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Lambert
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|---|---|
| Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | |
| In office 2015 – May 26, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Michell Hicks |
| Succeeded by | Richard Sneed |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 4, 1963 Cherokee, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Nationality | Eastern Band Cherokee, American |
| Spouse |
Cyndi Lambert
(m. 1986) |
| Education |
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| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
Patrick Henry Lambert was born on September 4, 1963, in Cherokee, North Carolina. He is a Cherokee leader who served as the 27th Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He held this important role from 2015 to 2017. Before becoming Principal Chief, he worked for over twenty years as the Executive Director of the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission. Patrick Lambert was removed from his position as Principal Chief on May 25, 2017.
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Early Life and Family
Patrick Lambert is a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He was born at the Cherokee Indian Hospital on the Qualla Boundary. His parents, Henry Ray Lambert and Patricia Sneed Lambert, were both from Cherokee, North Carolina.
His father, Henry, was a police officer for a short time. He was also known as a "tribal ambassador." He would dress in traditional Cherokee clothing and was called "Chief Henry." Many people visited him each year to take pictures. He became very famous and was even called the "World's Most Photographed Indian." Chief Henry worked for over 35 years and appeared on TV shows and postcards. He was also featured in an article in National Geographic magazine. Chief Henry passed away in 2007 when he was 72 years old. Patrick Lambert has five sisters, all of whom live in Cherokee.
Education and Military Service
Patrick Lambert attended Cherokee Indian Reservation School and Swain County School. He earned his GED (General Education Development) at age 16. Later, he studied in Sevilla, Spain, from 1984 to 1985. In 1985, he met his wife, Cyndi, and they married in April 1986.
When he was 23, Lambert joined the United States Army. He completed his training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort Lee, Virginia. He was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. In January 1988, he finished his active duty. He then served six more years in the Individual Ready Reserve. After his military service, Lambert returned to Tennessee. He earned two college degrees in 1989: a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and an Associate of Science in Criminology.
In 1990, Patrick Lambert was accepted into law school at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1993. He earned a Juris Doctor degree, which is a law degree. After passing the Bar exam, he returned to the Qualla Boundary. He began working for the Tribe as the Tribal Attorney. This job is now called the Attorney General. From 1994 to 1996, Lambert served as the Tribe's legal counsel. During this time, he helped create the first agreement between the Tribe and the state for gaming. He also helped negotiate the first contract with a major gaming company. This contract helped finance and manage a new casino. The casino has brought billions of dollars to the Tribe. In 1996, after the gaming laws were approved, he became the first Executive Director for the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission.
Becoming Principal Chief
Patrick Lambert retired from his role as executive director of the Tribal Gaming Commission in January 2015. He had worked there for 22 years. He then decided to run for Principal Chief.
During his campaign, Lambert made several promises to the people. He said he would create an office to protect employee rights. He also planned to focus on tourism to help the economy. He promised to protect the rights of the Cherokee people as a sovereign nation. Lambert also wanted to make sure the local newspaper, the Cherokee One Feather, was truly independent.
In the June 2015 primary election, Lambert was one of five candidates. He received 59 percent of the votes. This showed strong support from the community. In September 2015, he won the general election with 71 percent of the votes. This was the highest number of votes ever received by a Principal Chief candidate.
Challenges in Office
After becoming Principal Chief, Patrick Lambert believed that some tribal funds had been misused by the previous administration. In April 2016, he shared the results of a special financial review with the Tribal Council. He also asked the FBI to look into the matter.
In August 2016, the Tribal Council started its own investigation into Lambert. After this investigation was finished on January 18, 2017, the Tribal Council voted to remove Lambert from office. Lambert believed this action was related to the FBI's investigation into the Qualla Housing Authority. On May 25, 2017, the decision was made. Lambert was found responsible for eight of the twelve charges against him and was removed from his position. Vice Chief Richard Sneed immediately took over as Principal Chief.
After leaving office, Patrick Lambert stated that he would continue to work for better government for the Cherokee people. He said he would do this even if he did not hold a public office.
