Reasons Why Recall is Underway Revealed

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Challenges. Discussion »

WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA – The effort to recall Navajo President Ben Shelly now includes the Navajo Vice President Rex Lee Jim. The recall petitions were submitted to the Navajo Election Administration in Window Rock one day a part earlier this week by an eight member committee that is called the Recall Ben Shelly Committee.

Recall Ben Shelly …and Vice President Rex Lee Jim Too.

“We are not able to release information about the petitions. It just would not be appropriate,”

commented Edison J. Wauneka, executive director of the Navajo Election Administration to the Native News Network on Thursday morning.

The Native News Network obtained a copy of the recall committee's reason for why they want to recall President Shelly early Friday morning. According to the document, the reasons are:

He repeatedly demonstrated:

Non-transparency, shown by secret meetings with disloyal lawyers and outside interests to extort approvals on such sensitive matters as the Little Colorado River S 2109 Bill and Agreement, and the "Confluence Development Project," for a Hajiinai (sacred place);
Lack of responsible leadership;
Choosing the wrong side when it comes to protecting our sovereignty and homeland;
Infidelity to the values and principles of K'e and Diné bibeenahazaanii (fundamental law);
Inability to properly communicate with the people;
Disrespect for the will of the people;
Disregard for our human rights of free, prior and informed consent on major issues;
Personal misuse of the people's money, and wasting funds on public relations firms and lobbyists who work against the Navajos' best interests;
Poor decision making on critical issues such as corporate lease renewals and water rights;
Abuse of the people through misuse of the police, and violation of our Bill of Rights at his "public forums"
Total disinterest in protecting our natural, cultural, spiritual and environmental resources.

The reasons for the recall committee want Vice President Jim removed that are in the document are:

Vice President Rex Lee Jim has failed his oath of loyalty, accountability and good faith to the people.
He has supported or been an accessory to:
Non-transparency, shown by secret and closed meetings with disloyal lawyers and outside interests to extort approvals on such sensitive matters as water rights and the "Confluence Development Project," for a hajiinai (sacred place) against which he should have objected first as a "traditional medicine man."
Lack of responsible leadership and taking on an arrogance over the people;
Subverting our sovereignty and failing to protect our homeland;
Hypocritical infidelity to the values and principles of K'e and Diné bibeenahazaanii (fundamental law);
Disregard for our human rights of free, prior and informed consent;
Personal misuse of the people's money and the wasting of funds on public relations firms and lobbyists who work against the people;
Poor decision making on critical issues such as corporate leases and water rights;
Misuse of the police against the people at the Shelly/Jim public forums and violation of our Bill of Rights;
Disregard for protecting our natural, cultural, spiritual and environmental resources.

The exact wording for the recall of President Shelly and Vice President Jim must be reviewed and approved by the Navajo Election Administration. The official recall petition cannot contain more than 200 words.

Wauneka did indicate the effort to recall any elected Navajo official is difficult. He said any elected officials can be recalled, Wauneka cautions that the Navajo Election Administration that only Navajo citizens who voted in the 2010 election are eligible to sign the official petition to recall President Shelly and Vice President Jim. He said the election administration will look for duplicate signatures and disqualify any duplicate signature.

The recall committee has six months to secure 60 percent of the 64,254 people who voted in the last presidential election in 2010 presidential election, which equates to 38,552.

If the recall committee obtains the required number of signatures within the six-month period or 180 days, the Navajo Election Administration will have 30 days to validate the legitimacy of the signatures and confirm the paperwork is in order. There is an allowance for a grievance hearing to be held. If a determination confirms a recall, an election may be held within 30 days.

The Recall Ben Shelly Committee is chaired by former Navajo President Milton Bluehouse, Sr.

posted July 13, 2012 8:20 am edt