Patrick Lambert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrick Lambert
Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
In office 2015 – May 26, 2017
Preceded by	Michell Hicks
Succeeded by	Richard Sneed
Personal details
Born	(1963-09-04) September 4, 1963 (age 61) Cherokee, North Carolina, U.S.
Nationality	Eastern Band Cherokee, American
Spouse	Cyndi Lambert ​ (m. 1986)​
Education	UNC-Chapel Hill (JD)
Occupation	Counselor Gaming Commissioner Politician
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army

Patrick Henry Lambert (born September 4, 1963) is a Cherokee politician. He served as the 27th Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. This is a very important leadership role for the tribe. He held this position from 2015 to 2017. Before becoming Principal Chief, he worked for the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission for more than 20 years.

Early Life and Family History

Patrick Lambert was born on September 4, 1963, in Cherokee, North Carolina. This is where the Cherokee Indian Hospital and Reservation are located. His parents were Henry Ray Lambert and Patricia Sneed Lambert. Both of his parents were also from Cherokee, NC.

Patrick's father, Henry, was known as "Chief Henry." He was a police officer for a short time. Later, he became a "tribal ambassador." He would wear traditional Cherokee clothing and was known as the "World's Most Photographed Indian." Many families visited him every year to take pictures. Chief Henry was very friendly and even appeared on TV shows and in National Geographic magazine. He passed away in 2007. Patrick has five sisters, all living in Cherokee.

Education and Military Service

Patrick Lambert attended schools on the Cherokee Indian Reservation and in Swain County. He earned his GED (General Education Development) at age 16. This is a certificate that shows you have the same knowledge as a high school graduate.

In 1984 and 1985, Patrick studied in Sevilla, Spain. He met his wife, Cyndi, in the summer of 1985, and they married in April 1986. At 23, Patrick joined the United States Army. He completed his training and was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. After his service, he returned home in 1988.

Patrick continued his education in Tennessee. He earned two degrees in 1989: a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and an Associate of Science in Criminology.

Becoming a Lawyer

In 1990, Patrick was accepted into law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He graduated in 1993 with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. This degree allows someone to practice law.

After passing the Bar exam, Patrick returned to the Qualla Boundary. This is the land owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He started working as the Tribal Attorney. In this role, he helped the tribe with important legal matters. From 1994 to 1996, he worked on the first agreement between the tribe and the state about gaming (casinos). He also helped negotiate a contract with a major gaming company. This work helped bring billions of dollars to his tribe.

In 1996, after the gaming laws were approved, he became the first Executive Director for the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission.

Campaign for Principal Chief

Patrick Lambert retired from his role at the Tribal Gaming Commission in January 2015. He then decided to run for Principal Chief. He believed the local government-owned newspaper, the Cherokee One Feather, should be more independent. He promised to make changes to ensure its freedom.

In the June 2015 primary election, Patrick was one of five candidates. He won with 59 percent of the votes. In the general election in September 2015, he won 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 suspected that some tribal funds might have been used improperly 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 decided to investigate Patrick Lambert himself. After their investigation, on January 18, 2017, the Tribal Council voted to remove him from office. Patrick believed this action was related to the FBI's investigation into another tribal housing authority. On May 25, 2017, the decision was made, and Patrick was officially removed from his position. The Vice Chief, Richard Sneed, immediately took over as Principal Chief.

After leaving office, Patrick Lambert stated he would continue to work for better government for the Cherokee people.

Electoral History

These tables show the results of the elections Patrick Lambert participated in.