This story is free to read.

Candidate to be questioned on Navajo proficiency

Navajo presidential candidate Chris Deschene greets supporters ahead of a hearing Friday, Oct. 3, 2014, in Window Rock, Ariz., to determine whether Deschene is fluent enough in Navajo to qualify for the presidency. For most Navajos, the language issue goes beyond the election. It centers on how to preserve what the federal government once tried to eradicate and what parents were ashamed to teach their children. (AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca) Navajo presidential candidate Chris Deschene greets supporters ahead of a hearing Friday, Oct. 3, 2014, in Window Rock, Ariz., to determine whether Deschene is fluent enough in Navajo to qualify for the presidency. For most Navajos, the language issue goes beyond the election. It centers on how to preserve what the federal government once tried to eradicate and what parents were ashamed to teach their children. (AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca)

By Associated Press October 3, 2014 1 min read

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) – A hearing officer on the Navajo Nation has put off a decision on whether a presidential candidate is fluent enough in the tribe’s language to qualify for the top elected post.

Richie Nez of the Navajo Office of Hearings and Appeals says he will reconvene a hearing to answer that question after a deposition next week.

Candidate Chris Deschene (des-CHEE’-nee) will be questioned Monday on his ability to speak Navajo in a way that satisfies a standard set by the tribe’s Supreme Court.

The high court last week sent the case back to Nez after ruling that the fluency requirement for presidential hopefuls cannot be disregarded.

Deschene says fluency is hard to define but that he has communicated well in Navajo with voters on the campaign trail. His critics say he lied about his language proficiency.