Yakama chairman in headdress denied access to Supreme Court

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, October 31, 2018

By Phil Ferolito / Yakima Herald-Republic

Yakama Nation Tribal Council Chairman JoDe Goudy was denied access Tuesday morning to a U.S. Supreme Court hearing unless he removed his traditional feathered headdress.

Clad in full leadership regalia, Goudy appeared at the nation’s highest court to hear oral arguments in a case about whether his tribe should be subject to the state fuel tax when importing wholesale gasoline to the reservation.

Security officers told Goudy the court cannot be subject to outside influences and that his headdress would obstruct the view of others.

“Yakama Nation treaty case is on trial at the Supreme Court today. I cannot wear my traditional regalia before the Supreme Court for the reasons that were stated, but I refuse to take off my traditional regalia,” Goudy said in a statement.

Goudy refused to take off his headdress and did not attend the hearing.