Here at Navajo Council’s first day of their five-day Winter Session, where Council adopted their Agenda with a few changes to order of legislation.
The Council is now on Legislation 0005-15 An Action Relating To NAABIK’ IYATI’ And The Navajo Nation Council; Confirming _____________________As Speaker Of The 23rd Navajo Nation Council
DELEGATE AMBER CROTTY
Thank attorney Mariana Kahn for reading rules and duties. Speaker should be ethical, work with state, county and federal leaders, represent people and with hard work shown by Delegate Dwight Witherspoon, I nominate him.
Witherspoon accepts nomination.
DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSie
I hate to bring this up and first time read this but amendment by Delegate Alton Shepherd is to reaffirm rules for 22nd Council and not 23rd Council. I did may amendment, a different amendment, which was to make it an open vote and not by coin toss. but vote was 7 in favor, 13 opposed. so let’s fix this first so do this correctly.
SPEAKER PRO TEM KEE ALLEN BEGAY
we discussed this at Naabik’iyati Committee and decision was to use this legislation.
DELEGATE L.TSOSIE
I’m just saying, let’s change word, “reaffirm”. i voted against amendment cuz think should do differently but regardless, we need to make applicable to speaker selection today. so all doing is make correct.
SPEAKER PRO TEM BEGAY
I don’t think we need to do that and we are in the midst of nominations. So shud we do amendment in middle of nominations.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL MARIANA KAHN
it’s up to speaker to allow amendment and it would not impact selection.
DELEGATE L. TOSSIE
Don’t try to chastise me for bringing it to your attention. You cud hold nominations in abeyance so we can correct.
SPEAKER PRO TEM BEGAY
the correction is not necessarily needed.
DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
i just want to point out that secret ballot is not the Navajo way and many of the Navajo people also criticized the use of a coin toss to select one of the highest positions in the Navajo government.
THE AMENDMENT WOULD REMOVE “REAFFIRM” AND REPLACE WITH “ADOPTING.”
VOTE ON AMENDMENT, 22 in favor, 1 opposed, 1 not voting
