Claw: Who is footing the bill?
County supervisor questions source of money for probe

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Apache County Supervisor Jim Claw wants to know just who is footing the bill for the special investigator hired by Apache County Attorney Criss Candelaria's office to further examine "troubling financial inconsistencies and administrative problems in Sheriff Brian Hounshell's office."

The Chinle District supervisor sent a memorandum March 17 to Apache County Manager Delwin Wengert saying he is "very concerned" about this latest revelation.

"We, meaning Apache County government, have been singing the blues over what was characterized (as) 'financial concerns' and we shut the doors on all raises and additional hiring," Claw said.

"Yet the county is prepared to dish out $200 an hour, $175 an hour, $75 an hour, for up to one year to a law firm. Additionally, the county reportedly is going to pick up the tab for long-distance calls, Federal Express costs, per diem for travel, as well as reimbursement for lodging, airfare and meals.

"Where is the money coming from? Or the question ought to be, who is footing the bill? I know the Attorney's Office doesn't have that kind of money sitting around."

Claw said he has been unsuccessful in his efforts to establish an attorney's office for northern Apache County for more than two years "because there are 'no funds' for such a position. I even offered office space for the attorney," he told Wengert.

Candelaria announced last week that his office has retained the services of former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods as a Special Deputy Apache County Attorney "for the purpose of conducting an independent and unbiased investigation into allegations of misconduct by Sheriff Brian Hounshell and other individuals in the Sheriff's office, and to pursue any criminal or civil proceedings that are appropriate."

Claw questioned why Apache County is going to spend $100,000 "just to see if the sheriff misused $8,000, of which $4,000 is questionable at best?"

"Something is terribly wrong here," he said. "I just hope the county officials that are spending these huge amounts of public funds are prepared to justify the expenditures to the taxpayers and the voters."

Claw said he figured there might be some who would dismiss his concerns, saying "the Sheriff is his political ally." He said the Arizona Republic reached that "unsubstantiated conclusion" in a recent article.

However, Claw told Wengert, "I want to say here and now, again, that I am no one's political ally, and I don't permit my personal feelings to cloud my judgment. Nevertheless, I will continue to fight for what I believe is right and just for my constituents."

The supervisor said a strong presence of law enforcement in his district will be a high priority "as long as I am District One Supervisor."

"A strong presence of law enforcement in my district is something Sheriff Hounshell has accomplished when every single one of his predecessors would not," Claw said. "His guilt or innocence is not an issue. That's for the courts to decide."

Claw said he first heard about Grant Woods' hiring last Tuesday from County Manager Wengert. "By then, of course, Woods had been on the job since the previous day.

"Obviously I'm not a happy camper that I had to learn about the details of the contract between the County Attorney's Office and Woods in Friday's paper. I was astounded. I'm sure others at the county level, including the other board members, already had the information.

"I don't appreciate the appearance that I was left out of the loop," Claw said.

Hounshell last week said he questioned "the new independent unbiased investigation" due to Candelaria's involvement.

"First an 18-month investigation by the Attorney General has stalled because it was dismissed, then a three-month hostile work environment investigation that revealed no wrongdoing, then an overtime investigation that has strayed away from the initial focus of overtime.

"Now the County Attorney is prepared to spend an additional $100,000 to start the process all over again. This will be the fourth review of the AG's investigative material. How many times do they have to look at it? Answer: Until they can put me out of office."

Hounshell said he believes the latest action paints a clear picture of Candelaria's intent to remove him from office.