I’M BACK HERE AT THE NAVAJO LABOR COMMISSION HEARING ON A COMPLAINT FILED BY FIVE FORMER NAVAJO NATION OFFICE OF THE CONTROLLER AGAINST CONTROLLER MARK GRANT FOR ILLEGALLY LAYING THEM OFF IN SEPTEMBER 2013. YESTERDAY WAS DAY 1 OF THE HEARING. IT’S ABOUT 9:10 A.M.

YESTERDAY’S CROSS EXAMINATION OF CONTROLLER GRANT BY ATTORNEY DAVID JORDAN OF GALLUP, NM, WHO IS REPRESENTING THE FIVE FORMER EMPLOYEES, REVEALED THAT GRANT FAILED TO COMPLY WITH NAVAJO LAW REGARDING LAYOFFS OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE VETERANS, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND NAVAJO. ACCORDING TO GRANT, HE SUPPORTED PERFORMANCE OVER NAVAJO LAW.

IT IS NOW, 9:23 AM AND THE ATTORNEYS ARE MEETING WITH THEIR CLIENTS…AND EACH OTHER. AND SO IT APPEARS THAT JORDAN’S INTENSE CROSS EXAMINATION OF CONTROLLER GRANT YESTERDAY MAY HAVE RESULTED IN DISCUSSIONS FOR A SETTLEMENT, WHICH CONTROLLER GRANT WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY. IT WILL BE WE, THE PEOPLE, PAYING FOR CONTROLLER GRANT’S DECISION TO IGNORE NAVAJO LAW TO DO WHAT HE WANTED AND NOT WHAT NAVAJO LAW MANDATES.