According to the New York Times, Americans bought around 2 million guns in March, making it the second highest month ever for gun sales. Sales have skyrocketed due to fears over the pandemic and civil unrest.
On the surface, the gun business is lucrative. as well as a bold statement of tribal sovereignty. If the Remington Arms sale to the Navajo Nation eventually goes through, it would represent a symbolic sea change in the standing of Native Americans in the U.S. Federal law regulated gun sales to Native Americans until 1978 when the law requiring them to prove lawful intent for gun purchases was reversed. The states insisted on the waiver in order to allow the Company to operate new mines in both states.įearful of empowering Native peoples, however, European settlers such as the colonists in 17th century Virginia enacted laws making providing guns or ammunition to Natives punishable by death. The Navajo Nation recently agreed to negotiate limited waivers of its sovereign immunity with the states of Wyoming and Montana relating to its Navajo Transitional Energy Company. Information shared in executive session needs to remain intact because non disclosure agreements were signed,” Slater said.
“We have an investment committee that is governed by statute they vote on investments and that in some cases moves on to the Budget and Finance Committee where the process should be more transparent. The resolution reads: “Negotiations concerning the Company are covered by a non-disclosure agreement and cannot be distributed to the public and/or anyone not covered in the non-disclosure agreement.” The company, however, was not named then nor in today’s committee meeting. 0133-20 on the nation’s website on June 20 for public comment on a proposed $300 million direct investment in the company. The Navajo Times reports that although investment committee meetings are public, they are not well-publicized.
Unless a claim of sovereign immunity is specifically stated in the acquisition agreement, the nation might still have to submit to state and federal bankruptcy courts nor could the nation avoid federal gun permit requirements. Normally tribal immunity would also shield the nation from future litigation.Īccording to an internal document shared anonymously with Indian Country Today, however, Remington Arms has significant liabilities that could negatively impact the Navajo Nation. “There is likely to be language in the bankruptcy and in the acquisition of the company that addresses taking on prior liabilities,” she said. Stacy Leeds, citizen of the Cherokee Nation and Emeritus professor of law at the University of Arkansas agrees. I imagine there’s a way in which, through the bankruptcy process, those liabilities could be mitigated,” said Carl Slater, Navajo Nation council delegate. “Liability is a huge concern related to the Sandy Hook lawsuit against Remington Arms. Remington Arms is once again pursuing bankruptcy a benefit of this process often includes protection from current lawsuits.