What happens if the newly-elected president and vice president of the Navajo Nation are convicted on fraud charges?

If Ben Shelly is convicted after the January 11, 2011, inauguration, he could be removed from office. So could his vice presidential pick, Rex Lee Jim, who faces similar charges.

But that's when the situation might get tricky. Removal from office requires a two-thirds vote of the Navajo Nation Council -- where nearly half of the delegates also have been charged.

"How do you think that vote is going to go?" former tribal attorney Jim Zion told The Arizona Republic.

The council itself is undergoing major change. Tribal voters approved a reduction of 88 seats to just 24 seats.

Get the Story:
Fraud charges cloud Navajos' new leadership (The Arizona Republic 11/5)

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