Navajo Nation Vice President Ben Shelly, who is running for president, says an indictment against him in tribal court is "political."

Shelley and his running mate Rex Lee Jim, a delegate to the Navajo Nation Council, are being accused of misusing discretionary funds. Shelly is a former council delegate.

"I want to go before the judge Monday," Shelly told The Farmington Daily Times. "I want to clear my name for the people because I plan to represent them."

Shelly has fired back by filing ethics violations against other council delegates and against ice presidential candidate Earl Tulley, who is running with Lynda Lovejoy. Shelly says Tulley also misused discretionary funds.

Nearly three-fourths of the sitting Navajo Nation Council have been charged in the case, which was investigated by Alan Balaran, the former special master in the Indian trust fund lawsuit.

Get the Story:
Slush fund investigation questioned (The Farmington Daily Times 11/1)

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