Letter | Laws of the land

The oaths of office of both the Navajo Nation and the state of Arizona refer to an obligation to fulfill ethical duties and to faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of their office.

These oaths are more than words. They mean an unselfish dedication to our communities whether tribal, state or county. They are not to be interpreted by the oath taker as “I have been elected, now I can do what I want and if state law or tribal culture or tradition gets in my way, I will ignore it.”

Constitutions, laws, and traditions are not just recommendations; they are the laws of the land. Because we are a nation of laws meant to apply to everyone equally no one is above them.

In the southern part of the county, our Apache County attorney, Michael Whiting, his county school superintendent wife, Joy, and a member of his office are charged with having violated his and her oath by trying to use public money contrary to its intended purpose at the expense of people. After serving a search warrant and seizing documents and computers, the Arizona State Grand Jury charged them with corruption.

The public does not know yet the all the details of these allegations. The reports have not been released. Now, the disciplinary judge of the State Bar of Arizona (the entity that disciplines attorneys and ensures that they follow the ethical rules) will impose an order suspending Michael Whiting from the practice of law, effective Nov. 1, 2024. He will no longer be qualified to be Apache County attorney.

Of course, you ask what does this mean anything to those living on the Navajo Nation. After the efforts of many leaders in this county and federal court rulings, it is the law that all people in this county full citizens of not only the Navajo Nation but also of Apache County, Arizona, and the U.S.A. We deserve to have our money used wisely.

Apache County gets most of its money, not from property taxes, but from shares calculated by counting all the people. Our Navajo citizens are nearly two-thirds of the population of Apache County. The county’s substantial share of highway funds and state sales taxes are distributed based on its population. In this county, it’s the Navajo people who are counted to give us most of the revenue for the Apache County’s operations.

Therefore, like everywhere else, we have an interest in seeing that these monies, especially money for our children’s schools, are not stolen, misused, or put in the pockets of greedy people who have no regard for anyone but themselves.

Mr. Whiting and his wife, Joy, have not been convicted. Only the courts are supposed to provide them with a presumption of innocence. We will have to wait for that trial date to find the complete truth. In the meantime, how can we truly be sure that our money is spent well down south? We are entitled to ethics and integrity in our officials. We should insist on it and do something about it.

Criss Candelaria, write-in candidate for Apache County Attorney
Concho, Ariz.