Public Meeting on San Juan County being Forced to Redistrict the School board & County Commission Seats
This Thursday, November 16, there will be two public meetings in San Juan County, Utah, addressing what many consider to be a political attack on state and county sovereignty. The meetings will be held in the towns of Monticello and Bluff.
The Monticello meeting will be held from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Hideout Golf Course Community Center, located at 49 W 600 S St, Monticello, UT 84535
The Bluff meeting will be held from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM at the Bluff Community Center, located at 3rd East and Mulberry, Bluff Rd, Bluff, UT 84512
The meetings are related to a lawsuit brought by the Navajo Nation against San Juan County in 2012. The lawsuit alleged that county leaders gerrymandered districts along racial lines. “Gerrymandering” is the practice of manipulating political boundaries to favor one side over another.
In a statement to Fox 13, Navajo Nation Attorney General, Ethel Branch, accused San Juan County Commissioners of operating under unconstitutional election boundaries for 10 years. She said, “It is extremely disappointing that San Juan County continues to draw its political boundaries in violation of federal law and in a manner to suppress the Navajo voice. The County should use the same energy it puts into maintaining gerrymandered districts into crafting an equitable and fair remedy that gives all citizens of San Juan County an equal voice.” Fox13 Ben Winslow
Now the tribe wants two of the three county commission seats to be held exclusively by Native Americans. The tribe also wants to redistrict school board seats to give the tribe a majority of seats there as well.
Around 1984 the federal government filled a lawsuit against San Juan County that resulted in our current boundaries, and voting restrictions for each district as well. As a result, two-thirds of the citizens in San Juan County have not been represented by two of the three county commissioners for over 30 years. Voters are allowed only to vote for the candidate in their district, and have no say about the other two districts. The tax-paying citizens San Juan County, no matter their race or where they live, have lacked proper representation due to the dictates of the federal court.
Once again, the federal court has sided with the Navajo Tribe and has handed down a ruling that effectively nullifies the constitutional rights of San Juan County’s citizens. It probably comes as no surprise that it was U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby, who issued the decision. Shelby has, in past decisions, demonstrated a blatant disregard for the U.S. Constitution and the rights of the citizens of San Juan County.
Shelby, and those leaders within the Navajo Nation who are pushing the redistricting effort, have a shared allegiance to certain billion-dollar environmental special interests that seek greater control over local decision-making in San Juan County and over all that land within the county’s borders.
According to a July report by Fox 13, “U.S. District Court Judge Robert Shelby rejected proposed boundaries made by San Juan County for county commission and school board.”
The report detailed Shelby’s rationale:
“San Juan County’s remedial plans fail to pass constitutional muster. Specifically, the court concludes race was the predominant factor in the development of District 3 of the School Board plan and Districts 1 and 2 of the County Commission plan.” Reported Ben Winslow of Fox 13
With so much at state, one is left to ask, ‘Where is the State of Utah on this issue? What happened to state’s rights as delineated in the US Constitution?’
The citizens of San Juan County need to stand firmly in opposition to Shelby’s blatant attack on our constitutional rights. If the people fail to stand up to this assault on county sovereignty by an unelected judge, then the words of Benjamin Franklin may foreshadow the destiny of our local government.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
