HERE AT NAABIK’IYATI COMMITTEE WHERE COMMITTEE TAKING UP LEGISLATION 0068-140068-14, APPROVING SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING OF $288,000 FROM RESERVES FOR LEGAL EXPENSES FOR NAVAJO EXCHANGE LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE AND NAVAJO INDIAN IRRIGATION PROJECT.
DELEGATE GEORGE APACHITO
we are asking for return of about 1,000 acres to eastern navajo portion of reservation and for Navajo Indian Irrigation Project.
LARRY RODGERS
The only holdup of 0068-14 is the pending agreement/settlement of Fort Land between the Navajo Nation and Pueblo of Zuni. And this funding would be for high powered attorneys.
DELEGATE JONATHAN NEZ
Amendment to pull attqached Exhibit B budget forms and insert new Exhibit B, which is corrected budget forms.
SPEAKER PRO TEMP BATES CALLS FOR VOTE ON AMENDMENT AND THEN HE REALIZES THAT ONLY 10 DELEGATES ARE ON FLOOR. IT IS 1:30 PM. BUT THEN MORE DELEGATES RETURN.
VOTE IS 12 IN FAVOR, 0 OPPOSED
DELEGATE RUSSELL BEGAYE
it seems that $288,000 is going into the pockets of attorneys who are not tribal attorneys. $68,250 going to Paul Frye of Albuquerque. Seems like we keep putting money into pocket of lawyers and they don’t represent us well. And lot of money that cud be used better. We have Navajo Nation Washington, D.C., office that cud do this for us. And Congressman Lujan pushing this thru so why are we paying large amount of Navajo money to billagaana law firms.
DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
I support this cuz for return of Navajo lands. And where is Delegate Russell Begaye getting his info. (Delegate Begaye points out in 0068-14 where name of attorney Frye and amount of money) Our Washington DC office wastes money. They had cow over picking me up at the airport. I defend fee to Frye, who has helped us with so much litigation and he is more knowledgeable of Navajo land than Navajos. And Navajo is at his heart. You do need to pay DC office cuz all this is Congressional effort. I’m not on Eastern Navajo Land Commission cuz Eastern brothers didn’t see me fit to sit on there. We have some Bureau of Land issues and only Congress can do. And i wud recommend that if you are wanting votes from eastern navajo that you not question. (Delegate Tsosie is referencing Delegate Begaye’s announcement for tribal presidency.)
DELEGATE RUSSELL BEGAYE
I’d like it to be more specific in legislation that attorneys working on return of land and like that this would be what attorneys working on. But want tribal government to contract with Navajo attorneys.
