The Navajo Nation

Russell Begaye President

Jonathan Nez Vice President
Contact: Mihio Manus, Sr. Public Information Officer
Office ofand
the President
and Vice President
Office of the President
Vice President
Mihio Manus
THE NAVAJO NATION
Nicole
Macias
Phone: (928)871-7728
928.871.7000
Fax: (928)871-4025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 4, 2017

OPVP.PressRoom@gmail.com

IN LOSING OUR CONTROLLER, THE NATION STANDS TO

LOSE ITS FINANCIAL STABILITY
At 1 p.m. today the 23rd Navajo Nation Council will convene to consider a legislation removing the Controller of the Navajo Nation,
Jim R. Parris. If passed, this action will be financially catastrophic to the Navajo Nation and will affect most every tribal member.
As our Council Delegates move forward in voting either for or against this legislation, the public should be made aware that removing
Controller Parris will impact the payroll for thousands of tribal employees. Checks for burial assistance, general assistance and
veterans assistance will be halted in the vacancy of this position.
In halting expenditures, the Nation faces breaching of contracts, agreements and leases. Each of these financial situations is contingent on the authority of the Controller.
The Navajo Nation has come a long way in gaining financial stability and the confidence of banks and investors to assist funding
Navajo infrastructure projects. We see the needs of the Nation and are working towards continuing development but this legislation
will set the Nation back financially, President Russell Begaye said.
The Office of the President and Vice President has been taking steps toward setting up a Navajo Nation bank which will assist in
fostering small business development and in turn affect job opportunities and strengthening the local economy.
The removal of Controller Parris will have to be reported to the Nations bondholders which can result in the loss of its bond rating or
any future bond financing. Negotiations toward the $100 million credit facility will be pulled and work on developing a Navajo Nation
bank could be delayed indefinitely.
The balance we tread in losing the Nations Controller is detrimental to our financial stability. Beyond the local and national impacts
to our finances, we are reinforcing a standard of instability that our people will view as normal. We shouldnt accept mediocrity
when it comes to strengthening our local economies, creating jobs opportunities or simply issuing checks in a timely process, Vice
President Jonathan Nez said.
The process of appointing an Acting Controller will not occur immediately and will definitely take considerable time. The resulting
search to fill this position will be financially disruptive to the operations of the Navajo Nation government.
For the fiscal responsibility of the Navajo Nation, we urge our constituents to call their delegates to vote against the legislation to
remove Navajo Nation Controller Jim R. Parris.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 4, 2017

MEDIA CONTACTS
Jared Touchin (928) 221-9253
Jolene Holgate (928) 380-4174
Crystalyne Curley (928) 286-7918
nnlb.communications@gmail.com

President Begaye attempts to create
public panic over the removal of the Controller
WINDOW ROCK The Navajo Nation Council met in a special session on Wednesday, and voted
17-5 in support of Legislation No. 0417-16, removing Jim R. Parris as the Controller of the Navajo
Nation. The Council serves as the final authority for the bill.
Legislation sponsor Council Delegate Seth Damon (Bhl, Chichiltah, Manuelito, Ts Lich,
Rock Springs, Tsayatoh) asked for Councils support for the legislation and said he did not wish to
discuss the details of the matter publicly because it is a personnel matter.
Council Delegate Leonard Tsosie (Baca/Prewitt, Casamero Lake, Counselor, Littlewater, Ojo
Encino, Pueblo Pintado, Torreon, Whitehorse Lake) began Wednesdays discussion by expressing
his disappointment with a press release issued by the Office of the President and Vice President
on Wednesday entitled, In losing our Controller, the Nation stands to lose its financial stability,
which included wrong and misleading statements in a politically driven attempt to sensationalize
the role and duties of Jim R. Parris in his former role as the Controller.
The press release from OPVP stated that removing the Controller would be financially
catastrophic for the Navajo Nation, which Speaker LoRenzo Bates (Nenahnezad, Newcomb, San
Juan, Tiis Tsoh Sikaad, TseDaaKaan, Upper Fruitland) said is completely false because the Navajo
Nation has administrative processes, procedures, and safeguards in place to ensure the financial
stability of the Navajo Nation.
I am truly disappointed with the misinformation that was disseminated to the Navajo people by
President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez. As former Council members, they
should have the knowledge and understanding of the processes currently in place in the event
that the position of the Controller becomes vacant, said Speaker Bates.
Throughout the three hour discussion, numerous Council members said one of the main issues is
the fact that Parris contract with President Begayes office only required him to work for the
Navajo Nation three days per week while receiving a salary of approximately $140,000 and
thousands more in quarterly bonuses. Council members said the contract document was never
shared with the Council.
We have elderly people who are not receiving adequate services and have unmet needs and yet
we are paying him a large salary for working part-time, said Council Delegate Nathaniel Brown

(Chilchinbeto, Dennehotso, Kayenta), who added that President Begayes statements regarding a
financial catastrophe were disturbing and said the president should instill hope and a positive
outlook for the Navajo people instead of misleading them.
The Council also approved an amendment to include a delegation of authority memorandum
issued by Parris in November that allows for an acting Controller to assume the duties and
responsibilities until President Begaye appoints a replacement.
According to Navajo Nation Code, the Controller is appointed by the Navajo Nation President,
confirmed by the Navajo Nation Council, and serves at the pleasure of the Council.
The Nation has been without a Controller before and it did not interfere with payroll for Navajo
Nation employees, general assistance, burial assistance, and veterans assistance, stated Speaker
Bates. To blatantly attempt to misinform the Navajo citizens and cause a public panic regarding
direct services is without a doubt a political ploy by the OPVP.
Speaker Bates said the role of the Controller is limited to overseeing the daily operations of the
Nations finances, however, his position has no bearing on financial contracts, bond financing,
agreements, leases, or the Nations bond rating.
The Navajo Nation Councils standing committees and the Nations Investment Committee handle
the majority of high-level financial matters, and if required, the President signs contracts and
leases, added Speaker Bates.
The burial assistance program ran out of funding and President Begaye had to transfer the
resources to the program because the OPVP missed the contract renewal deadline that would
have replenished those funds, said Speaker Bates. Not to mention that the lack of veterans
assistance has caused concern for Council because the OPVP has failed to appoint an executive
director for the Navajo Nation Veterans Administration.
Recently, the Health, Education, and Human Services Committee received reports from Navajo
veterans stating that they have not received their assistance checks, housing, and veterans burial
assistance from the NNVA, which is currently under the control of OPVP.
Moments prior to voting on the legislation, Council Delegate Nelson S. BeGaye (Lukachukai, Rock
Point, Round Rock, Tsaile/Wheatfields, Ts Ch izhi) stated that if the Navajo Nations finances and
investments are important to the Nations leadership then a full-time Controller should be
appointed as soon as possible.
The Navajo Nation Council voted 17-5 to approve Legislation No. 0417-16. The Council serves as
the final authority for the bill and the removal of Parris as the Controller is effective immediately.
# # #
For news on the latest legislative branch activities, please visit www.navajonationcouncil.org or
find us on Facebook and Twitter, keywords: Navajo Nation Council

The Navajo Nation

Russell Begaye President

Jonathan Nez Vice President
Contact: Mihio Manus, Sr. Public Information Officer
Office ofand
the President
and Vice President
Office of the President
Vice President
Mihio Manus
THE NAVAJO NATION
Nicole
Macias
Phone: (928)871-7728
928.871.7000
Fax: (928)871-4025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 5, 2017

OPVP.PressRoom@gmail.com

COUNCIL VOTES TO REMOVE JIM PARRIS AS THE

CONTROLLER OF THE NAVAJO NATION

Jim Parris (left) and Vice President Jonathan Nez listened to discussion yesterday at a Special Council session held by the 23rd Navajo
Nation Council addressing the removal of Controller Parris. In the end, Council voted 17-5 for Parris removal.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. At yesterdays special session,

the 23rd Navajo Nation Council voted to remove Controller Jim Parris from the Office of the Controller through
legislation 0004-17, by the vote of 17 for and 5 against.
It is unfortunate that the Council voted to remove the Navajo Nations very first CPA licensed Controller, one who
diligently abides by laws and policies. As a CPA-licensed
professional he cannot deviate from those laws or he
could lose his license. Some on Council accomplished
their goal by putting up a smoke screen that obstructed
the understanding of other Delegates and gave them no
clear alternative but to remove Controller Parris.
The Controller, a former KPMG executive, Jim Parris, has
consistently sided with the veto authority that is vested
in the president by the people. The Controller has also
stood by the legal opinion of our Attorney General. He
was threatened for removal if he did not carry out the demands of the Council and today that threat was carried

out.
It is unfortunate that this smoke screen caused our leaders to remove this highly qualified Controller. This decision has the potential to discourage other qualified CPAs
to even consider working for the Navajo Nation. We will
continue to search diligently for a full-time Controller with
a CPA license. With Councils removal of the Navajo Nation Controller, our budget, contracts and especially the
financial reputation of the Navajo Nation will be projected
as unstable. This is something that we will face until we
replace Mr. Parris, President Russell Begaye said.
We hope that this uncertainty will not negatively affect
the Navajo Nation in the financial market. I would like to
reiterate what President Begaye said, we need your help
to find a qualified CPA to serve in the capacity of the Controller. The future is uncertain but we will face it together,
Vice-President Jonathan Nez said.
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