Veto override looms in special Navajo Council meeting

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Ethics & Rules Committee approved Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan’s request for a special Council session Friday, at 10 a. m.

The session is to override President Joe Shirley Jr’s. veto of a $17 million spending spree passed during a special emergency Council session earlier this month.

With 63 delegates signing the petition for a special session, it appears that Council will have the necessary two-thirds votes to override the president’s action.

In addition to the veto override, Council will consider an appointment to the gaming board of directors that was not acted on during the winter session and a legislation sponsored by Delegate Ervin M. Keeswood Sr. to provide $200,000 to the Navajo Department of Justice for litigation fees.

Though the outcome of the committee’s vote was never in doubt, the meeting did have a couple of little glitches.
Debate on Morgan’s request was tabled momentarily, as E & R went back to take action on the override bill sponsored by Delegate Young Jeff Tom.

After recalling the speaker’s bill, Keeswood asked to have his litigation legislation added to the special session agenda.

“But we’ve already tabled it once,” E & R Chairman Francis Redhouse said. Tabling an item a second time kills it off the agenda, he said.

But Legislative Services Director Geri Harrison said the double tabling issue only refers to legislation, not discussion over setting a meeting’s agenda.

There was one other possible hitch in the plans for a special session.

“March 21 is Good Friday, was any consideration given to that?” asked committee Vice Chairman Roscoe Smith. He said some delegates may have previously planned appointments.

Redhouse agreed, saying that he would not be available on Good Friday for religious reasons.

Friday was only a suggested date, and the meeting date could be changed, Morgan said.

In the end, the committee unanimously approved the session for Friday.

President Shirley had asked the Council to hold a special session and allocate $1 million for weather-related emergency funding. But, as often seems to happen when Council loosens the purse strings, delegates went on a mind-boggling spending spree — tacking another $16 million worth of spending to the emergency bill.

Shirley vetoed the legislation and rebuked Council for adding unnecessary items onto the back of an emergency spending bill.

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at Hopkins1960@hotmail.com