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Friday, November 14, 2003

The following is the text of a letter being published in newspapers in and around the Navajo Nation. It is the response of Navajo Nation Washington Office Executive Director Sharon Clahchischilliage to a Farmington Daily Times series of articles about recent resignations and firings at the office.

12 November 2003

Mr. Barry Heifner, Editor
Farmington Daily Times
201 North Allen
P.O. Box 450
Farmington, NM 87499

Dear Mr. Heifner:

I write for publication in response to the numerous errors and omissions in Mr. Jim Snyder�s November 11, 2003 article �Washington Office flap spurs allegations.� Mr. Snyder�s errors might seem minor, but they reflect an inattention to credibility that permeates his reporting. Mr. Snyder failed to adhere to fundamental journalistic standards in producing his article. The standards about which I am writing are accuracy, integrity and fairness in reporting a story � common to every first year journalism student and enshrined on your web site as �Our Principles.�

Accuracy
Accuracy implies that the information reported conforms to reality and is not in any way misleading or false. Mr. Snyder identified two of the authors, Tammie S. Curtis and Wanda Johnson, of the undated so-called �joint news release� as attorneys. This assertion is untrue because neither is a licensed attorney of any state or jurisdiction recognized by the United States. In most jurisdictions it is a crime to represent yourself or conspire to represent an individual as an attorney when he or she is not. Whether through dishonesty or incompetence, Mr. Snyder has misrepresented his source, giving them a degree of authority and professionalism that they have not earned. Verifying source credentials is the responsibility of the reporter � Mr. Snyder.

Moreover, Mr. Snyder reported the authors� �news release� as though it were fact, making no attempt to clarify that the he was reporting their opinion. For instance, in paragraph five Mr. Snyder states:

�The four added another dimension to the problem:�

Such a statement implies that a problem exists, but Mr. Snyder failed to verify that there is or was any problem. Such slipshod reporting crosses the line that divides reporting on a news release and co-opting the news release as fact. Before so co-opting, Mr. Snyder was obliged to verify whether a �problem� existed. Had he exercised his duty of accuracy by calling this office to verify, or verifying with an independent, knowledgeable source, he would have learned that there is and was no such problem. The issue between the authors and this office was a personnel matter and nothing more.

Integrity and Fairness
Integrity implies that the information used in an article is truthful and not distorted to justify a conclusion or used to present a personal bias. Fairness implies that the information reports equitably the relevant facts and significant points (plural) of view and that a news organization deals fairly and ethically with persons, institutions, issues and events. Mr. Snyder relied solely on the authors� �news release� and never called to confirm with me or anyone in the Navajo Nation Washington Office any of the authors� spurious allegations.

The substance of the �news release� that Mr. Snyder reported as fact is untrue. The Navajo Nation Washington Office has diligently worked on behalf of the Navajo People to advance the policy articulated by the Navajo Nation government. Past issues of the offices weekly legislative newsletter exposes Mr. Snyder�s error.

The �joint news release�s� authors� unfounded and desperate racist remarks are patently untrue and absurd; further they are undignified and unworthy of a response. It is the policy of this office not to comment on personnel matters and I will not breach the confidentiality of former employees, disgruntled or not, by detailing the circumstances for their termination or resignation.

Nevertheless, I want to clarify that Energy policy and the Energy bill were not areas of responsibility for any of the �news release� authors. I did not inquire about their individual opinions regarding the bill and their employment was not contingent on their respective positions � pro or con. Indeed, the Navajo Nation Washington Office, under my direction, does not cater to the opinions of its individual employees but advances Navajo policy at the direction of the Navajo Nation President and the oversight of the Navajo Nation Council. The issue between the �news release� authors and this office was strictly a personnel matter.

The frenetic pace of politics in Washington, D.C. results from a conglomeration of interests: political, economic and cultural. It takes an open, rigorous mind and a dedicated spirit to be effective in Washington, D.C. The competitive atmosphere causes some individuals to thrive but exposes others� incompetence. The issue between the authors of the �news release� and the Navajo Nation Washington Office was a confidential personnel matter about which I will not comment, regardless of their public displays.

It is my opinion that these accepted journalistic standards of accuracy, integrity and fairness require your paper immediately and prominently to correct and clarify Mr. Snyder�s article by publishing a retraction with an explanation that none of the �news release� authors is an attorney, that the story merely expressed the opinions of the authors and that Mr. Snyder�s reporting of that opinion as fact was a lapse in professional judgment.

In the future, I hope that Mr. Snyder will employ the accepted standards of journalism that are practiced throughout the world where there is free press. The people of Farmington deserve more than unbalanced and inaccurate reporting, which amounts to little more than rumor and innuendo.

Sincerely,

Sharon Clahchischilliage
Executive Director

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation Washington Office - http://www.nnwo.org

Related Stories:
Navajo Washington office denies charges (11/13)
Flap ensues over Navajo Nation Washington office (11/11)
Two resign at Navajo Nation's Washington DC office (10/31)

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