Minnesota bands rip Pete Stauber for working to deny first Native American from joining US Cabinet In a letter obtained by state Sen. Jen McEwen and posted to Twitter, the Republican congressman called for the withdrawal of U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland as nominee for U.S. Secretary of Interior. 11:34 am, Jan. 19, 2021 × U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for the Interior Secretary, speaks after Biden announced her nomination among another round of nominees and appointees for his administration in Wilmington, Delaware, on Dec. 19. (REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque) DULUTH --- U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber drew the ire of Native American bands in his district late last week after they'd learned he was working behind the scenes to deny the first Indigenous person nominated as a U.S. Cabinet secretary.