Senators push for Hopi U.S. Attorney

By Stan Bindell
For The Independent

POLACCA, Ariz. — Hopi attorney Diane Humetewa has been recommended to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona.

The two U.S. Senators from Arizona, John McCain and Jon Kyl, have recommended that President Bush nominate Humetewa for the post.

U.S. Attorney for Arizona Paul Charlton has given his resignation effective Jan. 31 to go into private legal practice.

Humetewa, 42, declined comment because the nomination is pending and not yet approved. Humetewa would have to be nominated by Bush and approved by the U.S. Senate in order to get the job.

If approved, Humetewa would be the first Native American U.S. Attorney in Arizona. Officials were researching whether she would also be the first Native American woman U.S. attorney.

Sen. McCain said in a news release that he is proud to recommend Humetewa to serve America in this noble role.

Vote of confidence
As a native Arizonan, Humetewa has a sound appreciation for the culture and legal issues unique to the region, he said.

McCain noted that Humetewa worked on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee while he was chairman.

"I am confident her remarkable work ethic and commitment to justice will make her an effective U.S. attorney," he said.

Sen. Kyl said in the news release that he was proud to join with Sen. McCain in strongly recommending to the president that Humetewa be nominated for this job. Her distinguished career in public service, her experience as a prosecutor and work on behalf of crime victims make her an ideal nominee for this role, Kyl said.

Humetewa graduated from Arizona State University's College of Law in 1993. She began her career with the U.S. Attorney's Office as a victim advocate for then U.S. Attorney Stephen McNamee in 1987 and has served no less than six U.S. Attorneys.

Humetewa has been the senior litigation counsel and tribal liaison for the U.S. Attorney's office since August 2001. She has provided counsel for U.S. Attorney Charlton and his staff. She has assisted with complex litigation and has worked with Arizona's 21 Indian tribes on matters related to criminal and civil litigation.

Advocate
Humetewa supervises the Victim Witness Program. She has also worked as a violent crime prosecutor and civil attorney for the U.S. Attorney s Office under former U.S. Attorney Jose Rivera, where she prosecuted crimes including major felonies arising in Arizona's Indian Country. She has defended the U.S. in civil actions.

In 2005, Humetewa was detailed to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, from the Department of Justice, to work on national Indian country justice issues.

From March 1996 to January 1998, Humetewa was counsel to the deputy attorney general in the Department of Justice as she focused on Indian law and was assigned to the District of Arizona as a special assistant to the U.S. attorney responsible for prosecuting crimes in Indian country.

She was also responsible for law enforcement training on federal legislation regarding violence against women and child abuse.

From August 1993 to March 1996, Humetewa served as counsel to the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The committee addressed law enforcement, health and welfare issues impacting Indian country.

Humetewa received her law degree from ASU in 1993 while serving as a law clerk under then U.S. Attorney Linda Akers.

Before obtaining her law degree, Humetewa served for four years as a victims' advocate under then U.S. Attorney Stephen McNamee.

During this time, along with a co-worker, she laid the foundation for the U.S. Attorney s Victim Witness Program. She earned her BS from ASU in 1987.

Humetewa was recently approved by the U.S. Senate to serve on the board of the Morris Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation.