Navajo Council’s Naabik’iyati Committee listened to Report on 2014 Elections from Navajo Election Office Director Edison Wauneka, who said that the office cannot scheduled a special presidential election until the Council provides about $317,000 in funding because the printing company that prints the election ballots for the Navajo Nation government wants to be assured that funding is available before accepting a printing request for election ballots.

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
Don’t agree with Navajo Supreme Court holding Navajo Board of Election Supervisors in contempt because how much authority did they have. The Supreme Court decision is flawed. The Council needs to restore Navajo Board of Election Supervisors because Navajo Election Office Director Edison Wauneka only has administrative authority.

Supreme Court decision is confusing. on one hand, supreme court says presidential candidate disqualified but
he’s walking all over our laws and making a mockery of Navajo justice. and bothers me when read Navajo Times headlines that Navajo election in “chaos.” And not Navajo Nation fault. its the fault of Navajo Supreme Court and Office of Hearings and Appeals. so what do you do with chief justice that is lawless and interpreting laws any old way. if council cannot stand together to hold chief justice accountable then people will continue laughing at Navajo Nation. Hope that by time Council convenes that there is political stamina.

Wauneka is part of Legislative Branch but he would rather honor Chief Justice then Council. and everything is running amok. Chief Justice didn’t think about what would happen if entire Election Board removed. he didn’t think about best interest of people. now he is legislating by footnotes. i’ve been out there and over half of contsituents not vote cuz they voted be forward and clinging onto old vote. so will we have illigetimate president. and if have illegetimate president then pple don’t respect that office and president. we need to find way for pple to vote again. court messed it all up. our lawyers too afraid of chief justice because will be disbarred with one wand.

i under that we have one of our own running and I’m asking Russell Begaye not to accept nomination so we can have whole new primary election. way going, pple upset. if have ten percent turnout then what say about legetimacy. they misinterpreted laws. if look at Chief Justice opinion from Chinle, he made Attorney General and Chief Jusstice shiver in their shoes. You see his opinion and he makes subliminal messages to lawyers. I never saw order that Election Board do this in five days. chief justice knows how to write orders and Election Board and Waunkea never received direct order.

read Title 11, section 324 and this really bothers me on position of Wauneka. there is nothing in there about contempt of court. Disqualification of Boards/Election Office occurs when felony, misdemeanor, aggravated assault – specific crimes committed. Under separation of power, it is up to Council to question him. and he cannot accuse us of talking behind his back because we invited him to come before Council twice. Chief Justice assuming all powers to himself like dictator of panama. chief justice needs to explain what he is doing.

we should start legislation for continuing presidency. we should not go with Navajo Justice Department scenario. The people have spoken and we know. Current President Shelly came in seventh. People want change so let’s come up with interim president. Bid Shelly farewell.

the other thing, Wauneka is trying to do and don’t know how affect Delegate Nelson BeGaye. and there are chapters asking Council to pardon Election Board and that will be introduced today and come before us on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31. If council pardons then how handle and allow special election. if Council pardons then affect two Council special elections. and read that ruling and towards Election Board as supervisor. at no time did issue come up. i believe Wuankea you overstepped your bounds by holding special elections for two delegates.

you are also censoring information by withholding general election results for presidential race. i was at one of my chapters, Baca, and there were a lot of questions and I told them that we are figuring out a way for them to vote. I’ll ask Russell Begaye to step back, have new election rather than fight about for next four years. and doesn’t alter Russell Begaye’s desire to run for president.

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE NELSON BEGAYE
I’m concerned about public information. I was at chapter and asked if Dec. 30 special election still on. Gallup Independent had headline that special election cancelled. we need to let people know what is happening. we are being asked, what is going on. they need to know what is going on, even if you have to go to each chapter. i hear you on radio and you need to let people know what is happening. and people are telling me that they won’t vote and they tell me that includes their votes for me. sad how poll judges told voters not to vote and voters left. delegates that lost maybe lost because of low voter turnout.

navajo supreme court ordered to postpone all election except presidential. order came out on Nov. 4. is someone lying? i have lot of questions and most are negative. elections for delegates should have happened as scheduled. voting should have happened in my area and other area. if some reason i’m voted back in then i’ll always wonder if election valid.

as eluded by Delegate Leonard Tsosie, is this legitimate election? now asking for money and other things. come tomorrow, i may vote against funding request.

COMMITTEE MEMBER/DELEGATE JONATHAN NEZ
I’ve visited communities and I’ve heard from people, Let’s go forward. And I agree that outside looking at Navajo government as unstable we forgot real purpose which is to plan for Navajo people. we are focusing on issues that are dividing us here, out there. people looking for real leadership. we have gone thru interim president and found out controvery.

with Mr. Waunkea here there is lot of frustration out there. Mr. Wauneka you are the most powerful oversight. We ask when is election? we are told, wait until Russell Begaye election complaint resolved. WE asked when electon? YOu said there would be appeal and sounds like you had inside information. Now you say there is no money for special presidential electon.

there were two losing candidates that resulted in this melee. from your perspective your are delaying election and so maybe three losing candidates throwing monkey wrench into election. navajo peole are looking to you to smooth things out.