From NM Dem Party Chair to the US Secretary of Interior. 
Deb Haaland, the First Native American to be Secretary of the Department of Interior
Deb Haaland graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1994 and earned her Juris Doctor in Indian Law from UNM School of Law in 2006. Her political journey includes serving as the vote director for the Obama campaign 2012, chairing the Native American Caucus of the Democrat Party of New Mexico from 2012 to 2013, and being Gary King's running mate for the Governor in 2014. She also was Chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party from April 2015 through April 2017. Â
Deb Haaland served on the Laguna Development Corporation board during the Louisiana Isle of Capri Casino debacle, during which the Laguna Pueblo lost twenty-six million dollars. When Pueblo elders realized they were gambling with Laguna's sovereignty. Despite Haaland not being able to practice law and possessing her JD in Indian Law, she should have known she was gambling with Laguna's sovereignty.
Deb Haaland made history when she was appointed the first Native American to serve as Secretary of the Interior. However, her decision to strip the Navajo Nation's right to develop oil and gas fields on their lands has raised concerns. This was the first time a Secretary of Interior since the Indian wars of the 1800s trampled the sovereignty of a Native American entity. Learn more about this issue in "Secretary of Interior Haaland Seizes Control of Rival Navajo Nation Native Lands." Even though Haaland did not grow up in "Indian Country," her JD in Indian Law was sufficient that she knew that her actions would change the relationship between the Federal Government and Native American entities. Â Â
 
Somah Haaland in DC during the DOI Take Over.Deb Haaland's Daughter, Somah Haaland, is an informal lobbyist for the NM's Pueblo Action Alliance, committed to ending oil and gas production around Chaco Canyon. We see in the photographs that Somah was telegraphing a message (Somah's X account on 10/2/21) to her mother and all at the Department of Interior. Days later, they arrived, protested, and took over the DOI's front lobby. Over two years later, Sec. Haaland ended the six years of negotiations (5-mile vs. 10-mile ban) by unilaterally banning oil and gas drilling within 10 miles of Chaco Canyon. Â Sec Haaland's unilateral action resulted in the loss of almost two hundred million dollars in royalties over twenty years for those five thousand individuals who lived with the ten-mile ban. I was shocked by her callousness in dooming those five thousand people to poverty. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
It was surprising to listen to Secretary Haaland's responses to Senator Hawley's questions in the recent  Senate Committee Hearing:  1) She was unaware her subordinates were having "off-the-book" meetings with representatives of a foreign billionaire, Hansjorg Wyss (who has been investigated by the FEC for illegal campaign contributions). 2) After the "off-the-book" meeting, the Interior Department canceled the mineral leasing rights for critical minerals in Minnesota .3) From Senator Hawley: "Is it common practice to meet with dark money groups off the books and conceal it from the public"?  Haaland, "…Of course, I can't answer…". 4) Senator Hawley:  Do these people who are sitting here today, answering most of your questions, do they work for you? Do they report to you? You're not in charge? Secretary Haaland: They work with me. Senator Hawley: They work with you? So you're not in charge of the department? Oh, my Gosh, I thought you were in charge, I thought that's why you were here." Secretary Haaland: "We work as a team." Hawley, "Oh, OK, so who's in charge? Haaland, "I provide the vision, the overall direction and our mission".Â
Secretary Haaland said: "We work as a team." Hawley, "Oh, OK, so who's in charge? Haaland, "I provide the vision, the overall direction and our mission."
Surprising news from the Democratic News, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resource Committee: 1) Chairman Senator Manchin asked Secretary Haaland how DOI justifies a 5%, or $935 million, budget increase while anticipating a $700 million decrease in revenue due to DOI holding less oil and gas lease sales and discouraging production. Secretary Haaland responded that DOI projects a revenue increase for 2024 and 2025, which made no sense to me considering the Chairman's questions. Â 2) The Chairman stated that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law required the DOI to issue offshore carbon capture and sequestration regulations by November 2022. Chairman, "When do you think you will publish a proposed rule for comment since we're two years behind already?" The Secretary said, "We don't have an actual estimated time for this to be completed, but I want to assure you that we are working on it."Â Chairman, "How much CO2 has been left un-sequestered [due to the delay]?" Secretary, "I couldn't answer that at the moment."
Deb Haaland gambled with Laguna Pueblo's sovereignty for a few extra bucks in Louisiana. Then, to advance her and her daughter's green agenda, she trampled the sovereignty of her rival, the Navajo Nation, by withholding oil and gas production miles from Chaco Canyon, dooming the local families to poverty. She publicly proclaims her allegiance to climate change yet does not know when (already two years late) critical climate change regulations (offshore carbon capture and sequestration) will be written. She publicly celebrated being the first Native American appointed Secretary of Interior, yet when asked, "Who is in charge? She comfortably hid behind, "We work as a team."
The Deb Principle: Unqualified for any position.
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