Navajo Nation leaders say Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has ignored them and won't meet with them in Washington, D.C.

“What has he done for us? He refuses to open the door to us when we go to the Hill. He refuses our requests for additional funding, and at this point in time, he stands there and says, ‘It is my pride that I do not support earmarks,’" said Navajo Nation Council delegate Kathryn Benally, The Gallup Independent reported.

“You know, that is who we are — we are earmarks!” she added . “He refuses to stand up for us and give us the funding that we deserve. He’s not going to turn around in the next four or eight years and remember us.”

Benally and other delegates voted 59-21 on Tuesday on a resolution to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president. “We believe that we have looked at the position of the candidates and both are admirable Americans, but we want to make the case for Senator Barack Obama to be the person that will be in charge of the trust relationship tie to the Navajo Nation," said delegate Leonard Tsosie.

During the 109th Congress, McCain sponsored a bill that sought to end a land dispute between the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe. Navajo leaders said it was unfair to them.

Get the Story:
Navajo back Obama (The Gallup Independent 10/22)

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