Court permanently blocks Council effort to remove Nygren, Montoya
DÁ’DEESTŁ’IN HÓTSAA
A Navajo Nation District Court judge has permanently barred Speaker Crystalyne Curley and the Navajo Nation Council from enacting legislation to remove President Buu Nygren and Vice President Richelle Montoya from office.
Judge Malcolm Begay signed the order Aug. 5, granting Nygren’s counterclaims for declaratory judgment and a permanent restraining order.
The dispute centered on a proposed Council resolution Curley introduced Nov. 21, 2025. The proposal, designated Legislation No. 0263-25, sought to remove Nygren and Montoya from office for alleged violations of Navajo law.
The proposal relied on Title 11, Section 240(A), which it maintained allowed the Council to remove the president and vice president for just cause. It cited Section 240(A)(2) as providing for removal by at least a two-thirds vote of the Council.
To read the full article, please see the Aug. 13, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
Get instant access to this story by purchasing one of our many e-edition subscriptions HERE at our Navajo Times Store.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow