HERE AT NAVAJO COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION, WHERE AFTER VERY LENGTHY DEBATE, THE COUNCIL VOTED 16 IN FAVOR, 0 OPPOSED TO ADD A REPORT ON NAVAJO OIL AND GAS COMPANY.
DELEGATE MEL BEGAY
I make a motion for the Council to hear the written report that this body asked for about Navajo Oil & Gas Company, which would inform and update council on status of Navajo Oil & Gas Company.
DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
Point of order, I raise cuz my understanding is that motioning parties are under ethical charges and so maybe they shud disclose that cuz under serious conflict.
CHIEF LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL LEVON HENRY
As u mention there are ethics charges filed with Ethics and Rules Office regarding decisions by NOG shareholders who are also Delegates but during time shareholders, they don’t act as delegates. And ethics office will answer that. The matter has been disclosed and Mel and Damon motion as Delegates and not as Shareholders.
DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
Point of order, again Legislative Counsel in serious error, what they are doing here is talking about subject. This is where they need to disclose and it has never been disclosed by motioning parties. We need to see what filed. Is it as shareholder or delegate? All I’m saying is let’s wait until find out.
SPEAKER PRO TEM LORENZO BATES
There was directive from this body and we have NOG report with about 100 pages of information. There was also question of shareholders question and needed response from their attorney and we have that. LT asked why legislation did not go across street and we have that.
DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
Payouts?!
SPEAKER PRO TEM LORENZO BATES
We haven’t handed it out simply cuz not on agenda right now. So rule against LT point of order and go to Delegate Shepherd.
DELEGATE ALTON SHEPHERD
Ask for Delegate Mel Begaye to withdraw his motion since there is a written report and the request for report was made by this body.
DELEGATE MEL BEGAY
First I would like to respond to LT allegations and have NNC understand. I would like to ask Ethics Office Director to be here and make information available regarding process. I tried to get complaint and I was told that I couldn’t get copy because just filing and that person who filed shouldn’t have released information regarding filing. LT seems to know what’s going on so I will withdraw motion and ask NNC to continue moving forward regarding NOG. And there are articles being written that shareholders put tribal sovereignty in jeopardy.
DELEGATE EDMUND YAZZIE
I want to hear report but we need to hear at a different Council session but is there a possibility that the Council’s hearing of NOG report could put ethics charges in jeopardy.
DELEGATE RUSSELL BEGAYE
Before any filing, someone runs to newspaper and it’s being heard in the newspaper. Let’s discuss jurisdiction with Navajo Supreme Court Chief Justice, President Shelly to discuss
It’s getting down to targeting elected officials and so this matter needs to be thoroughly discussed.
DELEGATE ALBERT DAMON II
I support Delegate R.Begaye because there is a lot of history regarding NOG. Money is missing. And money now being paid to outside attorneys to argue this case.
SPEAKER PRO TEM LORENZO BATES
I did hear that forensic audit wud be done of NOG and it was confirmed. The timeline is that audit would be completed in 60 days and I received that confirmation this morning.
DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
My concern was about the conflict of interest of the motioning parties, Delegates Mel Begaye and Charles Damon II, and there involvement in the debate of the report on NOG. This matter is of great public concern.
This is the people’s money. I have serious concern with NOG saying it’s private corporation because money there is the people’s money. And tribal leadership is agreeing with that.
And shud we allow enterprises to hire lobbyists? We shouldn’t.
The people are entitled to information on all political candidates so the people understand the ethics of each candidate.
I support Ethics Director being here. And I understand that ethics complaints are public. We also need to find out dates on investigation of complaint especially before primary election.
And maybe he’s not wanting to do that because he’s afraid but we don’t pay people to be afraid. We pay people to protect people’s money.
DELEGATE LORENZO CURLEY
I don’t agree w ur decision Bates. I hear that NOG is losing opportunities. The oil and gas boom is going on in NM. We lost opportunity with Twin Arrows and partnership with Twin Arrows and Navajo Technical University and convience stores in Lupton. All that loss has created this childish fiasco and I ask shareholders and boardmembers and director to step down. Then we talk structural problems to eliminate all these chiefs in NOG. That’s what’s wrong with NOG and that includes oversight committee.
DELEATE GEORGE APACHITO GIVES TIME TO DELEGATE MEL BEGAYE
Thank you Delegate Apachito. It’s very bothersome if you want to c justice especially regarding finances and opportunities gone but that is not issue of pple promoting themselves, like our colleague, has taken advantage of his position as NOG shareholder for his community.
And so I ask again for that opportunity for NNC to receive information. There are individuals involved who are “puppets.”
I am sick of this as well as anyone else.
AFTER DELEGATE MEL BEGAYE SPEAKS, DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE SAYS OUTLOUD IN THE DIRECTION OF DELEGATE MEL BEGAYE – “IS THAT A THREAT?!”
DELEGATE ELMER BEGAY
My community passed resolution asking for investigation of Navajo Oil & Gas by the Council’s Law & Order Committee. This is our resources, the community stated.
COUNCIL VOTE ON ADDING WRITTEN/VERBAL REPORT ON NAVAJO OIL AND GAS COMPANY
16 in favor, 0 opposed
