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Show Thursday, March 27, 197S -7- The.Ute Bulletin First small pox. . . - then tuberculosis and rifles . . .now" Convicted Nixon Aide To Work For Northern Pueblos By Suzan Shown Harjo WASHINGTON. D.C. (AIPA) John former House White Ehrlichman, domestic affairs head and Nixon confidant, will be working with the Eight Northern Pueblos (ENP) "as a research; er, adviser and consultant, within ten days," according to his lawyer Ira N. Lowe. He should be working and functioning and helping them by that time," said Lowe, pending appeal of his Watergate conviction. Ehrlichman was convicted by a jury, on Jan. 1 of this year, of multiple counts of lying under oath, conspiring to obstruct justice and obstructing justice, for his role in the Watergate scandal cover-up- . At the federal courthouse here Feb. 21, D. U.S. District Judge John J. Sirica imposed prison terms of from 2Vt to 8 years on Ehrlichman and other defendants, ordering that Ehrlichmans sentence be served concurrently with an earlier part in the 1971 break-i- n term for his at the offices of a psychiatrist. The former Domestic Council director was released without bond and is expected to remain free during the appeals process that could take as long as two years to conclude. In pronouncing the prison term, Judge Sirica ignored arguments by Ehrlich-man'- s land that the attorney use lawyer be given no less than a strict n sentence" to a term that would not cost the taxpayers a peso." Attorney Lowe requested that his client be sent to work for this Eight Pueblo group," and told the court that Ehrlichman would go to New Mexico to work with Indians whether or not alternate service was approved so that he may on his own perform his penance." Lowe later told AIPA that altenate sentence has been an idea of a long time. Prisoners could be useful, not just rotting in jail. The idea of him using himself as an example was his idea. He wanted to show that this was a wise thing and should be practiced more and more in the future, through his own example." Saying that Ehrlichman had considered many possibilities,? Lowe continued, He came up with the best one, which just happened to be the Pueblo Indians. He went out there and talked with them. He found that they had a need for what he was able to correspondency give. He, felt that this would do the greatest good. He told me about it and that was that." Shortly after his New Year's Day conviction, Ehrlichman met with representatives of the Northern Pueblos Council (NPC) to discuss the idea of alternate service. NPC members are the eight Pueblos of San Juan, Taos, Picuris, Santa Clara, San Hdefonso, Nambe, Pojaoque and Tesuque. Santa Clara Governor Lucario Padilla is chairman of the NPC. One source, who declined to be identified, said the NPC found Ehrlich-man'- s proposal acceptable because of his experience at the highest levels of government. Ehrlichman was named presidential counsel in 1969 and served as special assistant for domestic affairs and Domestic Council director until April of 1973 when Watergate revelations forced his resignation. I never knew him, before, Herman Agoyo, executive director of the NPC, told AIPA, he just made an appointment with me and I talked to him. He thought of this idea to present an alternative to the judge. He inquired about what area he might be able to approach and someone-- he didnt say whosuggested that he get in touch with the NPC." The proposal came from Mr. Ehrlichman personally," said Agoyo, then I talked with five governors aiid two council representatives. Let me get this right--- I couldn't get in touch with (the ld non-priso- - governors of (Tesuque, Taos and San Hdefonso), but the ones I talked with agreed." Agoyo is also the first lieutenant governor of San Juan Pueblo. Among the ENP decisions are generally reached by consensus, but a snowstorm reportedly impaired communications and the agreement procedure was suspended. I sent a telegram to Mr. Ehrlichman," continued Agoyo, that mainly said that the majority of the governors were in favor of his request." On the date of sentencing, Agoyo's telegram was introduced into the court record as part of Ehrlishmans request for alternate service. Agoyo said that the ENP are having water rights and land problems, and we need someone with a background in those. Right now we have four of our Pueblos in court the state of New Mexico is trying to adjudicate their water rights. We have various legal problems involving land and water. I'm not saying that he would get involved in that particular issue at all, but we do need legal services on such things as that. We are not looking at his past, only what he can do in the future. He will be coming here to help out in whatever way he can. None of the governors had any objections. They wanted to give it a try. None of them felt that they were being used. Agoyo said the NPC was in the process of trying to get funds for more legal services, and that Ehrlichman would be paid subsistence salary -dy wants tq $3,000 or $4,000 a work for that anymore, that's just unemployment wages. Attorney Lowe told AIPA that Ehrilichman will be going there (to northern New Mexico) as soon as he can get things together-I- d say about a week to ten days (March as long as the need is there. He will not be functioning as a lawyer, but he will be using his legal background to help them (ENP) in the research that is so vitally needed. He should be working and functioning and helping them by that time. When asked if Ehrlichman's wife and five children currently residing in Seattle would join him in New Mexico, Lowe replied, Oh, no, no, no. There are about 200 miles of land on the four tribal reservations - hell be somewhere there in that very remote area. He will be living there by himself." Ehrlichman is now disbarred in California and is under suspension from the practice of law in Washington, his home state, where he began practice in the early 1950s as a Seattle zoning lawyer. Ehrlichman's offer to the ENP received a scathing response from Joe H. Herrera, executive director of the New Mexico State Commission on Indian Affairs, in a statement issued to the press on the sentencing day: We note with interest Mr. Ehrlichman's offer, as reported by the press, to come help the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico in lieu of serving time for his conviction of a felony. Being compassionate people, we would be pleased to assist in the rehabilitation of a we do question convicted felon-b- ut whether Mr: Ehrlichmans offer of legal assistance is all that appropriate at this point in time. We could certainly use some plumbers in our water rights given Mr. Ehrlichman's current status, perhaps he would be more useful by providing community service in the form of ditch work, as spring is at hand and it is our custom to provide such services to our communities at this time of year. It must be remembered that the Indian is frequently, when politically expedient, encouraged to participate in his government-an- d when he tries to do just that, he more often than not receives a bureaucratic kick in the teeth for his efforts. - This trail, just ended, before Judge Sirica, has focused the attention of the community in this country for lack of credibility insofar as political non-India- n institutions are concerned. We of the Indian world have been living with this since our first contact We needed no with the made of the fact aware be Watergate to not above are that government agencies verbal duplicity if it serves their ends. One can only wonder what sort of assistance Mr. Ehrlichman contemplates when he offers to help the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico." Ehrlichman's attorney commented on the Herrera statement to AIPA: It's a good statement. He (Ehrlichman) would be good at any of the things mentioned. He's strong and he'll get pretty tired doing research, which is boring, so he could be out digging ditches. If there's non-India- n. skepticism, that's reasonable, but millions of Americans are going to be watching to see if he would be better off performing a service or wasting money in jail. Ehriichman will be the second government official convicted in Watergate scandal to be associated our high the in a legal service capacity with Indians. Former U.S. Attorney General Richard A. Kleindienst has also provided legal assistance to the Agua Caliente Indians of Palm Springs, Cal. Here in Washington, Indian affairs insiders differed greatly in' their reactions to the news of Ehrlichman's proposition. Opinions ranged from, Its a fine idea because those Indians need all the help they can get," to the following . comment wasped by an aide on the Hill: First it was' small pox. Then it was tuberculosis. Then it was rifles. Then it was syphilis. Now it's Ehrlichman." Tom Appah Earns Auto Certificate Tom Appah of Fort Duchesne received a certificate of completion in auto mechanics from the Uintah Basin Area Vocational Center last week. The certificate indicates that Mr. Appah has satisfactorily completed a one-year training course in classroom and practical auto mechanic techniques. Mr. Appah intends to start a small, auto repair business in the near part-tim- e future. The new mechanic is also the Housing Director for the Tribe. Where Homey Went Or. . . year-nQbo- Mysteries of the Tribal Office Building Revealed For those who, in . recent weeks, have had the uncomfortable experience of sauntering into the office of Homey Secakuku and Elwyn DuShane only to find no trace of either councilman and the office, itself, transformed into a reception area, we provide as a public service this guide to changes in the tribal office building: Elwyn and Homey are now established in the office (third door on the northside) formerly occupied by the Education Department. The Education Department moved, lock, stock and barrel, to the Learning Center, next door, some weeks ago. Clifford Duncan, E.D.A. Planner, Secretary Sandy Bywater are new e daytime residents at the building. multi-purpos- Their former office (third door on the southside) is currently the headquarters of Administrative Officer Irene Cuch. In Mrs. Cuch's former office (fourth door on the southside) interested persons will still find Administrative Secretary Patsy Ridley and Administrative Assistant, Floyd Wyasket. The former office of Fred Conetah, downstairs on the south side, next to the Recreation Department has been made into a Break Room" where employees and others may relax. The room now includes two pop machines, a couch and chairs. Fred Conetah can now be found in an office at the former law and order building, which is scheduled to be remodeled into a tribal museum. The arts and crafts display case located on the north side of the building at the end of the main corridor, has been converted to a stock room for office supplies. Department heads may now pick up supplies there without purchasing independently from outside sources. The stock room will be open from 10 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Down the main corridor, changes scheduled for this week include: The Livestock Enterprise which will move to the former UteFab Building. UteFab moved some months ago to their new plant at the Industrial Park. With the Livestock Office vacated, Resource Director Dennis Mower will move into it. A connecting door between Livestock and the Resources Department will enable communication between Mr. Mower and Resource personnel Bonnie Mair and Myron Accuttorroop. In addition to the above changes, Domestic Water System Superintendent Harvey Natchees and Bookkeeper Virginia Slagle, who do not presently have office space, will soon be located at the old UteFab building. With a copy of this article and a compass, residents should have less trouble finding their destination. |