Residency probe underway in San Juan commission race

Residency probe underway in San Juan commission race

(Kristin Murphy, KSL)


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MONTICELLO — San Juan County officials are reviewing the residency of a Democratic candidate for the county commission after a citizen filed complaint alleging Willie Grayeyes lives in Arizona.

A press release on Thursday indicated the county has asked Grayeyes, who is board chairman of the native American advocacy group Utah Dine Bikeyah, to provide proof he lives in San Juan County.

That request comes after officials said the information they have so far indicates he does not live in Utah. They have not received a response from him so far, although the release said he was willing to provide documentation of residency.

Grayeyes has been a public face and outspoken advocate for the designation of the Bears Ears National Monument and a critic of its subsequent downsizing by the Trump administration.

On Utah Dine Bikeyah's website, Grayeyes' residency is listed as the Utah community of Navajo Mountain.

Utah Dine Bikeyah's Alastair Bitsoi, the organization's communication director, said federal tax laws prevent the nonprofit organization from commenting on election issues.

Efforts to reach Grayeyes were unsuccessful.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said Willie Grayeyes lists his residency as Navajo Mountain. It should have made clear it was the Utah community, not the mountain. It also stated Utah Dine Bikeyah is prohibited by federal law from being involved in politics. It should have said it cannot comment on election issues.

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Amy Joi O'Donoghue
Amy Joi O’Donoghue is a reporter for the Utah InDepth team at the Deseret News with decades of expertise in land and environmental issues.

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