HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The Tribal Council of the Seminole Tribe of Florida unanimously voted Wednesday to remove Chairman James E. Billie from office, effective immediately, Seminole Tribe spokesman Gary Bitner said.
According to a news release, the Tribal Council voted 4-0 on a recall petition filed by Tribal members. Billie was not eligible to vote.
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"The recall petition cited various issues with policies and procedures of the Chairman's Office," Bitner said in the news release.
The vote took place Wednesday morning at a special meeting of the Seminole Tribal Council in the Auditorium of the Seminole Tribe of Florida Headquarters.
Bitner said the meeting was open to all members of the tribe and was attended by more than 100 tribal members, including Billie.
Members of the Seminole Tribal Council include Vice Chairman Mitchell Cypress, Christopher Osceola, who represents the Hollywood Seminole Reservation, Cicero Osceola, who represents the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, and Andrew Bowers, Jr., who represents the Brighton Seminole Reservation.
Billie served as chairman of the Seminole Tribe since May 2011, when he was first elected. He was re-elected in 2015.