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Obama to replace Hopi U.S. attorney (Replacement Non-Indian)
Indian Country Today ^ | Jun 26, 2009 | Rob Capriccioso

Posted on 06/26/2009 12:37:53 PM PDT by greyfoxx39

Diane J. Humetewa, the first female Native American U.S. attorney in history, will soon be out of a job – and not because she’s doing a bad job, either. Instead, she will become a casualty of the political appointee process that comes with each new presidential administration.

Humetewa took the oath of office to become a U.S. attorney from Arizona in December 2007 and was formally sworn in a month and a half later.

Indian country found big reason to celebrate.

Not only was the longtime tribal justice advocate breaking a glass ceiling, she was rising to the heights of a system that had recently experienced the controversial firings of several U.S. attorneys by the Bush administration and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Many of the fired U.S. attorneys happened to be strong in the area of tribal justice, so Humetewa was seen to be filling a big void – and she was doing so under the Bush administration, which wasn’t exactly known for going out of its way to promote Indian faces to positions of power.

Humetewa would ultimately oversee a plethora of tribal justice issues in her state, and she made it part of her agenda to highlight Native safety and justice concerns on the national level, too.

In an interview with Indian Country Today in June 2008, Humetewa noted that she had previously served as a tribal liaison under former U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton, and once she was promoted to the position herself, she joined the Native American Issues Subcommittee, made up of U.S. attorneys who have Indian country jurisdiction.

-SNIP-

Democrats who had ties to Obama’s campaign and transition team said in mid-June the replacement would likely be Dennis Burke, a former top aide to former Gov. Janet Napolitano, who now serves as Obama’s homeland security chief.

Burke is not widely known to be well-versed in Indian justice issues.

When asked why Obama would replace a history-making Native American tribal justice official – when the president himself has noted the need for more American Indians in top political positions – White House officials noted that it is not unusual for presidents to want to fill political appointee positions with allies.

It may be a political reality, but it is not one that sits well with those who know Humetewa and her work.

-SNIP-

“It’s unfortunate that the political appointee process is going to remove a really qualified U.S. attorney.”

Still, Heffelfinger noted that it would have been unusual for a Bush appointee – even a Native American U.S. attorney – to hold on to the job.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: bho44; democrats; dianehumetewa; hopi; humetewa; minority; obama
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To: greyfoxx39
If Zero replaces Hopi, will he replace Changi ?

That is the question people need to ask.

21 posted on 06/26/2009 12:54:37 PM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: FlingWingFlyer
I did hear last week that Renzi's lawyers were asking to have the case dismissed. Haven't heard anything since.

Well, the suit served its purpose, didn't it?

Isn't that the district with Navajo and Apache counties?

22 posted on 06/26/2009 12:55:41 PM PDT by greyfoxx39 (If Tehran offered an unclenched fist, Obama would be shaking a bloody hand and calling it good.)
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To: greyfoxx39

Yeah. And I live there. I’m pretty PO’d about the whole thing. The “media” loved it though.


23 posted on 06/26/2009 12:57:37 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Hey America! How's that "hope and change" thing working out? Are you scared yet?)
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To: greyfoxx39

Black man speak with forked tongue!


24 posted on 06/26/2009 12:57:55 PM PDT by woofie
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To: brytlea

LOL - grrrrrrrrr


25 posted on 06/26/2009 1:00:55 PM PDT by Enterprise (When they come for your guns and ammo, give them the ammo first.)
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To: greyfoxx39

I was typing as fast as I could before someone else posted it. :)


26 posted on 06/26/2009 1:01:25 PM PDT by brytlea (Jesus loves me, this I know.)
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To: greyfoxx39
...so Humetewa was seen to be filling a big void – and she was doing so under the Bush administration, which wasn’t exactly known for going out of its way to promote Indian faces to positions of power.

Is the 0bama administration known for it? What American Indian face has the Zer0 appointed?

27 posted on 06/26/2009 1:01:58 PM PDT by TigersEye (0bama: "I can see Mecca from the WH portico." --- Google - Cloward-Piven Strategy)
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To: counterpunch

>More racism from the most racist administration since Andrew Jackson.

Oh, I thought it would have been the most racist admin ever... Sotomyer is a good example of such racism.


28 posted on 06/26/2009 1:03:03 PM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: Enterprise

LOL
Come on, I almost NEVER get it first! ;)


29 posted on 06/26/2009 1:07:27 PM PDT by brytlea (Jesus loves me, this I know.)
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To: greyfoxx39

“Endeavor to persevere.”


30 posted on 06/26/2009 1:17:36 PM PDT by Constitution Day (Eschew exclamatory abuse.)
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To: greyfoxx39
and this time it ain't from the "white man".

No, this time it isn't the palefaces doing the Indians.

31 posted on 06/26/2009 1:39:42 PM PDT by Ole Okie (Simply an American)
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To: greyfoxx39
Buffalo shittier speak with fork tongue
32 posted on 06/26/2009 2:03:24 PM PDT by tophat9000 ( We are "O" so f---ed)
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To: tophat9000

The noble red man has gone from Hopi to no Hopi.


33 posted on 06/26/2009 3:26:44 PM PDT by pistolpetestoys (Outside of a dog a book is a mans best friend;inside a dog it's too dark to read.)
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