The Navajo Nation Council is in special session to once again try and approve a Fund for the $600M CARES Act relief aid. The establishment of a Fund is the first step to begin the creation of a Spending Plan, which was where the proposals for funding for Navajo govt three branches and enterprises, Navajo small businesses; Non-government organizations, such as colleges, non-profits, nursing homes would be located.
President Nez used the presidential line item veto on Navajo Emergency $600M OVID-19 Expenditure Fund approved by the Council several weeks ago. The Navajo Justice Department and Council’s legal office agreed that Nez misused the presidential line item veto by line item vetoing language, instead of line item financial budgets.
But for some reasons 6 Council Delegates, and remember every Navajo govt elected officials takes an oath to uphold Navajo laws, decided not to uphold Navajo law and voted against the Council override of Nez’s illegal line item veto, which resulted in no Override because 16 Yes votes are legally needed. The Council Override Vote was 14 in favor, 6 opposed. SMH
And so now portions of the Fund that were not illegally line item vetoed are still law. But Navajo executive branch divisions, such as Social Services, Health, Community Development, etc., which are under Nez & Lizer, are not submitting their budgets to the Council, even though the Council has repeatedly requested those budgets. Social services is where Burial Assistance and Domestic Violence Shelters are located. Health is where COVID-19 Command Center is. Community Development is where the 110 chapters are.
By the way, when Nez used his line item veto, he had some of the 6 Council Delegates sponsor his Fund proposal as legislation to the Council. And so Nez’s used of the presidential line item power, not in the best interest of the Navajo people, but in the interest of Nez & Lizer, because they had their own plan to spend the $600M. Their $600M plan is in Legislation 0116-20, which also authorizes Nez & Lizer to hand-pick a task force of 12 “experts” to create The Plan to Spend the $600M.
Nez & Lizer in their -0116-20 legislation also did not provide any of the $600M to the Judicial Branch and 110 chapters. 0116-20 is on the Council agenda.
And I’m still waiting for a Nez-Lizer Writen Report on Donations, including about $5 million in money donations, for the Navajo people that Nez & Lizer received on behalf of the Navajo people and are distributing themselves. What Nez & Lizer are distributing was not bought by them or donated by them. They are giving to the People what belongs to the People. And so why aren’t letting the Navajo people know in written detail what was donated to them, how much, by whom, how it was decided to distribute the donations, and where the donations went.
The US Treasury has set strict guidelines for the Navajo Nation to spend the $600 million and if any of the $600M is not spent according to those federal Treasury guidelines, the Navajo Nation would have to pay back whatever money was not spent according to Treasury regulations.
If Nez & Lizer cannot provide a simple written report on Donations, how can they be Accountable & Transparent about how their 12 Experts will be Spending the $600M.
CALL IN NUMBER 408-418-9388, ACCESS CODE 294672400# And then Hit # after voice prompt
APPROVED AGENDA OF THE 24th NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL Window Rock, Navajo Nation (AZ) SPECIAL SESSION VIA TELECONFERENCE June 19, 2020 – 10:00 AM
PRESIDING: Honorable Seth Damon, Speaker, 24th Navajo Nation Council