Education

Farmington paper not satisfied with Navajo probe

Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Farmington Daily Times, the paper that first investigated the Navajo Nation's trip to Hawaii, is not satisfied with the outcome of the Interior Department's probe.

The paper points out that Inspector General Earl E. Devaney did not investigate the use of federal funds out of his jurisdiction and did not look into spending by Bureau of Indian Affairs schools and public schools. The paper says the Department of Education hasn't replied to requests for information about the trip to the National Indian Education Association conference in Hawaii.

Editor Troy Turner also questioned why Sen. Pete Domenici (R-New Mexico), who requested the probe, was accepted the outcome. He noted that Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. was testifying before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday. Domenici is the top Republican on the panel.

"We do find it ironic that the day Domenici decides to issue his support of the Navajo tribe's officials traveling en masse to the Hawaiian Islands, it happens to be the same day President Shirley was asked to support Domenici with testimony on Capitol Hill," Turner told the paper. "How can we not find that ironic?"

Get the Story:
Feds OK Navajo-Hawaii travel (The Farmington Daily Times 3/13)
Federal inquiry clears tribe in flap over education conference (AP 3/13)

Relevant Documents:
Earl Devaney Letter (March 7, 2008)