Ex-NHA director issues sharp criticism of Begaye’s DWI arrest

WINDOW ROCK

The former director of the Navajo Housing Authority on Monday issued a statement sharply criticizing Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye for failing to take action against his daughter after she was charged with extreme DWI after being involved in a crash in a tribal vehicle.

Aneva Yazzie said Karis Begaye, who works within the president’s office as general counsel for her father, has to be held accountable for her actions and her father needs to follow tribal law.

Karis Begaye was reportedly coming back from an economic development conference when she collided with a semi-trailer near Camp Verde, south of Flagstaff. Neither she nor the truck driver was injured but the tribal vehicle she was driving sustained severe damage, according to the state police report of the incident.

Yazzie said there have been no reports of Karis Begaye facing any adverse personnel action after the incident and she has been allowed to use of another tribal vehicle.

If this had been any other employee of the tribe, she said, they would face immediate adverse personnel action, including a possible firing.

No one is above the law, not even the president nor his daughter, Yazzie said.

Yazzie blames both the president and his daughter for her removal as NHA director last year, saying the allegations they used against her were baseless.

“She is clearly the beneficiary of preferential treatment by the president,” Yazzie said, adding that Russell Begaye needs to lead by example.

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