Services Tribal Technical Advisory Group, leading efforts to amend existing Medicaid laws to ensure that a Certificate of Indian Blood could be used to verify U.S. citizenship. Shelly represents the Navajo Nation in budget discussions and formulations for federally funded programs. In 2007, he led a Navajo delegation in consultative budget deliberations with the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Although Navajo Nation elections are officially non-partisan, Shelly is a registered Democrat active in state politics in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. He works with the New Mexico state legislature and the governor's office to fund capital improvement projects on the Navajo Nation. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson appointed Shelly to his Tribal Economic Development Task Force. Shelly is also an opponent of Senate Bill 1690 which would allow San Juan County, Utah Navajos to be their own trustee, managing their own resources by way of a nonprofit organization structure, without interference from the Navajo Nation. The tribe has long argued it should be the trustee, sans any federal or state interference. Probe of Tribal Council discretionary funds In October 2010, Ben Shelly, among Navajo tribal other officials, were charged in an investigation of slush funds just weeks before the November election. Shelly pleaded not guilty to those tribal charges of fraud, conspiracy and theft. Each misdemeanor count carrying a penalty of up to a year in jail and $5,000 if convicted. Shelly has stated that he is confident that the conspiracy, fraud and theft charges against him would be dismissed, saying he's no crook. Criminal complaints allege that Shelly unlawfully took $8,850 in tribal discretionary funds to benefit himself and his family while he served on the Tribal Council. He has pleaded not guilty and said the money was for "Legitimate Hardships." Court documents allege that Shelly conspired to benefit himself and his immediate family, including his wife, grandchildren and a sister, in 2005 and 2006. On four occasions, Shelly filed applications for discretionary funds on behalf of his family and personally approved the requests, a complaint alleged. Tribal ethics and rules laws have limits on the value of gifts lawmakers can receive and prohibit engaging in conflicts of interest. Police served some delegates with the complaints just before they convened for the fourth day of their fall session in the tribal capital of Window Rock. The Tribal Council called for a special prosecutor in 2009 to look into