Davis Filfred (born 1967) is an American

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

for the

Navajo Nation The Navajo Nation (), also known as Navajoland, is an Indian reservation of Navajo people in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. The seat of government is located in ...

Council Delegate in the Utah Navajo Section. Davis Filfred succeeded the position of retiring Navajo Councilman,

Mark Maryboy Mark Maryboy (born December 10, 1955) is a retired American politician. He represented San Juan County, Utah as a County Commissioner, serving three terms, and formerly served on the Navajo Nation Navajo Tribal Council, Council Delegate for the ...

on the

election process. Davis Filfred serves the same Navajo Nation districts along with Kenneth Maryboy for his

Navajo Nation Council The Navajo Nation Council () is the Legislative Branch of the Navajo Nation government. The council meets four times per year, with additional special sessions, at the Navajo Nation Council Chamber, which is in Window Rock, Arizona. The counci ...

Councilman seat. Filfred also works with Rebecca M. Benally in helping create a more efficient process for the Navajo Nation educational system. Davis Filfred is also a United States Marine Corps

Veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in an job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the military, armed forces. A topic o ...

of the Persian Gulf War (1990–1991).

Life

Filfred graduated from White Horse High School in 1985 and studied one year at the

College of Eastern Utah Utah State University Eastern (USU Eastern) is a public regional college within the Utah State University system. The USU Eastern campus is located in Price, Utah, United States. Founded as Carbon College in 1937, the college joined the Universit ...

in Blanding, UT. He also spent three years at Utah Technical College in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

and received an A.A.S. Degree in Residential and Industrial Wiring. Filfred frequently volunteers his time as a leader in the

Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...

Military life

Thru 1990 to 1994, Davis served in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

and achieved the Rank of Sgt. or pay-grade E-5 for the Marines. During his enlistment, Filfred served with Marine Corps unit MAG-46 at the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro near

Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, planned city in central Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It was named in 1888 for the landowner James Irvine. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the ...

and with the Marine Corps unit MWSS-374 at the former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin located in

Tustin, California Tustin is a city located in Orange County, California, United States, within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. In 2020, Tustin had a population of 80,276. The city does not include the unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated communit ...

. In 1990, the

Persian Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

broke out after Saddam Hussien's Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait. Marine task forces formed the initial core for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm while U.S. and Coalition troops mobilized, and later liberated Kuwait, at which time Filfred along with fellow military men and women were deployed as well during this operation. After being discharged, he returned to the reservation where he joined with the Navajo Nation Tribal Police in the Shiprock District.

Community member

Filfred began a life in politics, first positioning himself in the Aneth Community as the Vice President of Aneth Chapter, then as Local School Board Secretary at Aneth Community School. Since he is a veteran, Filfred became a representative for the Southeastern Utah Diné Veterans Organization (SUDVO) - and soon after became its Commander.

Navajo Nation Council Delegate

In 2006, Filfred was elected into the legislative body of

Government as a Navajo Nation Council Delegate for the Mexican Water, Aneth and Red Mesa Chapters. These areas expand the

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

and Utah borders with a constituency of nearly 10,000 people. Upon election, he was positioned on the Health and Social Services Committee in the Navajo Nation Council as the Northwern Agency Representative.

2006 Navajo election results

Aneth Chapter
Davis Filfred 611
Kenneth Maryboy 398
Herman Farley 172
Russell Gould 215 Mexican Water Chapter
Davis Filfred 124
Kenneth Maryboy 254
Herman Farley 134
Russell Gould 119 Red Mesa Chapter
Davis Filfred 195
Kenneth Maryboy 353
Herman Farley 232
Russell Gould 275

Special Prosecutor Investigation on Navajo Council

In October 2010, Navajo tribal other officials, were charged in an investigation of discretionary funds just weeks before the 2010 November election. Not Guilty was what was pleaded for the Councilmen charged for fraud, conspiracy and theft. Washington D.C.-based Special prosecutor Alan Balaran reported results on the investigation in which he filed criminal complaints against Vice President Ben Shelly and at least 77 members of the 88-delegate Council as part of a sweeping investigation into the use of discretionary funds that Filfred and Kenneth Maryboy were named in as well.

Navajo Nation Council reduction

On Dec. 15, 2009, Tribal members voted to reduce the Navajo Tribal Council from 88 to 24 members, and the Navajo Nation Supreme Court ordered immediate implementation of the redistricting in a May 28, 2010 decision. With this Navajo Nationwide action, it resulting in pitting Councilman Filfred against fellow Councilman Maryboy during the November 2, 2010 General Elections. Councilman Filfred was defeated by Maryboy for a newly redistricted "Shiprock Agency" section on the Navajo Reservation.

2010 Navajo election results

Davis Filfred Total Votes by Chapter - 1,053 039 - Aneth Chapter 347 028 - Mexican Water Chapter 149 099 - Red Mesa Chapter 261 031 - TeecNosPos Chapter 116 030 - Sweet Water Chapter 180 Kenneth Maryboy Total Votes by Chapter - 1,114 039 - Aneth Chapter 251 028 - Mexican Water Chapter 173 099 - Red Mesa Chapter 280 031 - TeecNosPos Chapter 230 030 - Sweet Water Chapter 180 (Write-in) "Francis Redhouse" Total Votes by Chapter - 593 039 - Aneth Chapter 151 028 - Mexican Water Chapter 33 099 - Red Mesa Chapter 84 031 - TeecNosPos Chapter 222 030 - Sweet Water Chapter 103

Utah Navajo Trust Fund

But between 1933 and 1990, the Utah Navajo Oil Trust Fund was plundered of $150 million, according to a Utah legislative auditor's report. The Navajos' lawsuit against the state is still pending. The State of Utah is the only state in the Nation administering a trust fund for the benefit of American Indians whose lands are within state boundaries. The Utah Navajos have sought to have a more active role in the distribution of the royalties and this would present that opportunity. Legislative leadership has committed to provide a way to make the transition process as seamless as possible for the beneficiaries. Trust Fund to Sunset Currently since, Utah's Navajo Trust Fund statute is set to sunset in 2008. Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and Legislative Leadership in 2007 have joined together in asking Congress to create a new disbursement system for the royalties. The Utah Legislative leadership are now actively working with the Utah Navajo Element in regards to controlling of these royalties. Utah Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich saying ''Our congressional delegation must create a vehicle to distribute these monies in a way that all of the Chapter Houses have input.'' Kenneth Maryboy and Davis Filfred have been active in the Utah Navajo Trust fund as well as helping the transition between Utah's Primary role in control the Utah Navajo Trust to the Utah Navajos themselves.

Utah Navajo oil revenues

Recently Council Delegates Kenneth Maryboy, Davis Filfred, and Former Council Delegate Mark Maryboy have been actively working to ensure that the Aneth Oil Royalties stay with the Utah Navajo people. However such causes are not without competition, the Navajo Nation itself has been working counter to the Utah Navajo people in taking control over the entire section of the Aneth Oil Revenues. It presents a significant problem with a line of issues both Filfred and Kenneth Maryboy are up against.

Senate Bill 1690

The first hearing was on Senate Bill 1690br>
which would transfer trustee authority and resources for the Utah Navajo Trust Fund from the state of Utah to the Utah Dineh Corporation. The second hearing is an oversight hearing to examine the chronic backlog of Indian land transaction decisions at the Interior Department. The backlog effectively blocks many tribes from using their lands, often for years, until those decisions are made

Locally, the biggest issue is an emotional tussle over a trust fund that holds royalties from oil and gas leases in and around Aneth. That fund's assets doubled to more than $52 million this year when Utah agreed to settle a lawsuit over alleged abuses during the decades that the state oversaw it. Utah gave up its oversight role two years ago, and no projects to benefit the Utah Navajos — many of whom have no electricity or running water — can be initiated until Congress picks a new trustee. The Navajo Nation, which receives 62.5 percent of the royalties, wants control of the whole fund. On June 16, 2008, Kenneth Maryboy, Mark Maryboy, Davis Filfred, and Commissioner Phil Lyman of

Blanding, Utah Blanding () () is a city in San Juan County, Utah, San Juan County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,394 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the most populated city in San Juan County. It was settled in the late 19t ...

will travel to

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

to present a working model of how an easy transition from the State of Utah handling Utah Navajo royalty money, to a functioning Utah Navajo organization before Congress. Locally, the biggest issue is an emotional tussle over a trust fund that holds royalties from oil and gas leases in and around Aneth. That fund's assets doubled to more than $52 million this year when Utah agreed to settle a lawsuit over alleged abuses during the decades that the state oversaw it. Utah gave up its oversight role two years ago, and no projects to benefit the Utah Navajos — many of whom have no electricity or running water — can be initiated until Congress picks a new trustee. The Navajo Nation, which receives 62.5 percent of the royalties, wants control of the whole fund. Delegate Davis Filfred's position on the matter is that other Navajos resent the trust fund settlement, thinking it showered the Utah Navajos with cash when the royalties are actually being tied up. "People think we have all the money, which we don't," said Filfred who is pushing for local control. "The Navajo Nation does not know how to spend money," Filfred said. "It keeps spending money it doesn't have and digging further into the red."
Oil fund at center of Utah Navajo Nation Council election

Navajo relationship with the State of Utah

On Jan. 27, 2009, A Navajo delegation attended Indian Caucus Day. Utah Navajo Delegates Maryboy and Davis Filfred attended the Indian Caucus Day at the Utah State Capitol to advocate on behalf of Navajo constituents living in the state of Utah. Elected leaders from the Utah's five tribes met with former Utah State Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr., Gov. Gary R. Herbert, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and a number of program directors to emphasize the importance of maintaining adequate funding for programs which provide direct services to tribal citizens. Thestate of Utah announced major budgetary problems for the upcoming fiscal year and has proposed possible cuts of 15 percent for state agencies. At the caucus, tribal leaders urged Utah state leaders to recognize the limitation in state services currently available to Utah tribes and asked for specific programs to be maintained, despite the economic challenges faced by the state.http://www.navajonationcouncil.org/Press%20Release/012709_Utah_Indian_Caucus_Day.pdf Navajo Council delegates attend Indian Caucus Day at Utah State Capitol Bears Ears Davis Filfred

United States Marine Corps Veteran

As the Commander of the Southeastern Utah Diné Veterans Organization, Filfred has made himself available to local Veteran's Affairs events around the Four Corners area such as Flag ceremonies and welcoming home events for recently returning Military men and women from overseas combat deployments. Recently, members of the Southeast Diné Veterans Organization, joined by the new superintendent of

Mesa Verde National Park Mesa Verde National Park is a national park of the United States and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, and the only World Heritage Site in Colorado. The park protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloa ...

, Cliff Spencer, hoisted nine flags representing the two tribes of both Ute Mountain Tribal Members and Navajo Tribal Members, as well as the four states. The 2010-2011 Miss Utah Navajo sang the national anthem in the Navajo language as well as Filfred hoisting the American Flag during a gathered at the Four Corners National Monument on November 11, 2010 (

Veterans Day Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with holidays in several countries, i ...

) to celebrate the completion of a million dollar plaza renovation.

References

Utah-Navajo Indigenous Spiritual Retreat Gourd Dance: Davis FilfredHealth and Social Services Committee members touched by Navajo eldersSalt Lake Tribune
Public Lands director's departure pleases environmentalists, some Navajos

External links

Navajo Nation Council Delegate Filfred
Official website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Filfred, Davis 1967 births Living people Members of the Navajo Nation Council People from San Juan County, Utah United States Marines Salt Lake Community College alumni People from Cortez, Colorado United States Marine Corps personnel of the Gulf War 20th-century Native American people 21st-century Native American politicians