Prez withdraws offer of money to pay for special election

The Navajo Board of Election Supervisors learned Thursday, Nov. 5, that President Joe Shirley Jr. rescinded his offer of $218,912 to pay for the Dec. 15 special election.

The election, which would ask voters whether to reduce the council from 88 to 24 members and grant the president line-item veto authority, has been on shaky ground since the Navajo Election Administration has not found funding for it.

Shirley extended his offer to find the funds within the executive branch to pay for the election over the summer. However, his offer was met with accusations by the legislative branch that he was interfering with the Navajo Election Administration, which was ordered by the Navajo Nation Supreme Court to schedule the election by Dec. 25.

Since then, the issue has boiled over into an exchange of heated accusations in memorandums between both governmental branches.

Shirley, in an Oct. 16 memo to Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan (Iyanbito/Pinedale), stated, "However, because you are misinformed about our intentions to assist in identifying funds, and to eliminate any suggestion that my staff is attempting to influence or interfere with the NEA (Navajo Election Administration), I hereby withdraw the offer to have the executive branch pay for the election."

On Oct. 5, Morgan, at the direction of the council's Intergovernmental Relations Committee, had sent Shirley a one-page letter "to cease interference with Navajo Election Administration."

The letter continued, "Your cessation of attempts to improperly influence or direct governmental decisions and action would be greatly appreciated and perhaps render unnecessary further action under the Navajo Ethics in Government Law."

The Shirley camp quickly shot back with a two-page press release stating, "There is no undue influence from anybody from OPVP (Office of the President and Vice President). We have stated on several occasions to Navajo Election Administration Director Edison Wauneka and the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors that they will dictate how this election will be conducted."

"All they are doing is finding a reason for this election not to happen," said Patrick Sandoval, Shirley's chief of staff, in a telephone interview Oct. 12. "And remember, the office is under the speaker's office so they are doing all they can to further hinder the election."

After learning of Shirley's Oct. 16 memo, the election board went into an executive session Nov. 5 for about 90 minutes and then came out and voted to request the money from the council's Intergovernmental Committee.

The board also decided that if the IGR denies their request that they would have no choice but to move the Dec. 15 special election to the Aug. 3, 2010, primary election.

Shirley, who was placed on leave by the Navajo Nation Council Oct. 26, had hoped the tribe would vote on the issue in time for the council's reduction plan, if passed, to take effect before the 2010 primary election.

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