WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren has been cleared of Vice President Richelle Montoya’s sexual harassment claim, according to the Navajo Nation Department of Justice.
“Now that I have been cleared, we need to move forward as a Nation and a people,” Nygren said on Dec.16. “This false allegation against me as President of the Navajo Nation has divided and hurt the entire Navajo Nation. We need to heal from this and focus on moving forward.”
A preliminary investigation was launched by DOJ on April 19 after Montoya accused Nygren on social media of sexually harassing her during an August 2023 meeting.
On Dec. 16, Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch released preliminary findings of investigator Eric Dahlstrom of the firm Rothstein Donatelli.
“Vice President Montoya’s recounting of the Aug. 17, 2023, incident does not constitute sexual harassment under policies applicable to either Navajo Nation elected officials or employees covered by the Navajo Nation [Personnel Policies Manual]," Dahlstrom stated. "Further, the facts reported would not constitute a violation of any criminal law of the Navajo Nation.”
In addition, “further investigation into Vice President Montoya’s sexual harassment claim and the appointment of a Special Prosecutor are not warranted.”
On April 19, the Attorney General announced her selection of Mr. Dahlstrom to immediately commence a thorough and comprehensive preliminary investigation “regarding complaints of impropriety in high level governmental offices pursuant to my authority under the Special Prosecutor Statute.”
She said Dahlstrom previously served as a long-time special prosecutor to the Nation.
“His work has included the successful prosecution of 15 Navajo Nation Council delegates and two tribal employees who faced 140 criminal complaints relating to the misuse of Navajo Nation discretionary funds,” Branch said.
Branch reported that Dahlstrom's findings were based on thorough interviews of current and former employees.
Among those interviewed were Nygren, Montoya, Chief of Staff Patrick Sandoval, Chief Legal Counsel Bidtah Becker and others. A telephonic and text tip line was also set up to allow members of the public to express their concerns.
Despite the investigation findings that absolve him of the Vice President’s allegation, Nygren said he expects there will continue to be those who doubt and dispute the report findings and efforts by the Attorney General to ensure a fair and transparent process.
“The Attorney General is the attorney for the Navajo Nation,” he said. “I appointed her, but the Navajo Nation Council confirmed her after fully vetting her. She hired a neutral, third-party investigator to conduct the investigation. Neither the Attorney General nor my office interfered nor influenced that process. My staff and I fully cooperated and allowed Mr. Dahlstrom to do his work. I have full confidence in the process.”
Irrespective of the time Dahlstrom’s investigation took, Branch said it was necessary “to ensure a full and complete analysis and recommendation by the independent, third-party counsel … I am satisfied that no rock was left unturned in the search for evidence of any potential wrongdoing.”
Branch said she does not think it is in the Nation's best interest to continue spending the Nation’s money on looking into the allegations. Branch will release the investigation's findings once Navajo Nation leadership has been briefed on it.
“Even though this has been a distraction, despite all of it, I am going to continue to move our projects forward,” Nygren said.
Despite her approval of Dahlstrom's findings, Branch announced on Dec. 16 that she terminated the Navajo Nation’s attorney contracts with Rothstein Donatelli LLP.
“The Navajo Nation deserves legal counsel that is diligent and that does its work in a manner that is appropriate to the level of care and attention that is warranted," she said. "The inordinate delay in receiving the results of the preliminary investigation into the Vice President’s allegations exacerbated the instability in Navajo government that the allegation introduced. Accordingly, the Nation will no longer work with Rothstein Donatelli.”
