- Date Of Birth: March 13, 1950
- Date Of Death: February 2, 2021
- Occupation: Attorney and politician
- City: Mesa
- State: Arizona
Albert A. Hale (March 13, 1950 – February 2, 2021) was an American attorney and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the Arizona Senate from 2004 to 2011 and in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017.
A member of the Navajo Nation, Hale was elected as the tribe’s president in 1994. He served until 1998, when he resigned to avoid facing prosecution for 50 felonies and misdemeanors related to theft and bribery. He was widely recognized as a staunch advocate for tribal rights and a key figure in upholding tribal sovereignty.
Hale was married three times, with the first two ending in divorce. Hale was known by many in the Navajo community as “Abhihay”. According to Jack Jackson Jr., Hale commanded respect, and was known for wearing a Navajo warrior hat known as an atsá cha’h at important events.
On November 22, 2014, Hale was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. He was booked into the Navajo County jail in Holbrook, Arizona, and released the same day.
Hale was hospitalized in Mesa, Arizona, after testing positive for COVID-19 in early January 2021. He died on February 2, 2021, aged 70 of complications related to the virus. He is survived by nine children and his wife, Paula. After his death, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon recognized Hale on behalf of the council, saying “he is remembered for his service and dedication to the Navajo people, which continued beyond the borders of the Nation when he was called to represent our district in the Arizona Legislature. We recognize his positive contributions to the development of numerous initiatives that have advanced the causes of Navajo people both at home and abroad.” President of the Navajo Nation Jonathan Nez and Governor of Arizona Doug Ducey both ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of him. – Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License from Wikipedia.
