A Navajo Nation official has determined that the tribe's current vice president is still eligible to continue running for tribal presidency despite leaving out a 2002 misdemeanor conviction out of his candidate application.
The Farmington Daily Times reported Wednesday that former presidential candidate Vincent H. Yazzie filed a grievance earlier this month in the Navajo Nation's Office of Hearing and Appeals, claiming that Jonathan Nez was not qualified to run for the presidency since it appeared he violated the tribe's election code by not disclosing the 2002 misdemeanor on his application.
Chief Hearing Officer Richie Nez, who has no relation to Jonathan Nez, has ruled that the grievance was insufficient.
He says that under tribal law, convictions more than five years old do not affect qualifications.
