WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) – An attorney for a Navajo Nation lawmaker accused of misusing tribal funds told jurors Wednesday that the man’s approval of financial assistance requests from his children wasn’t a criminal act.

The comments by lawyer Jeff Rasmussen came during opening arguments in the trial of Mel Begay, who could face the loss of his legislative seat, fines and jail time if he’s convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud and submitting or permitting false tribal vouchers.

Authorities say Begay funneled nearly $34,000 in tribal funds to his children.

Rasmussen said Begay approved all the requests he received and he wasn’t the only tribal employee who had to sign off on them.

“There’s various things that could be debated (over) what it is, but what he was doing was not a crime,” Rasmussen said in an interview outside court.

Criminal complaints accuse Begay of funneling the money to his six children from a discretionary fund meant for Navajos facing extreme hardship, including elderly residents on fixed incomes, unemployed people and students.

Prosecutor Marc Lowry told jurors the requirements for who could receive assistance and how often had changed over the years, Still, Begay’s signature meant he was attesting that he would uphold tribal laws but he instead engaged in nepotism, Lowry said.

He pointed out that Begay’s children wrote him letters asking for financial assistance without disclosing their relationship.

The trial got off to a slow start when not enough people showed up to form a jury. Eight people were selected Tuesday to hear the case in tribal court in Window Rock. The trial is expected to end March 25.

Begay’s attorneys had asked the tribe’s Supreme Court to dismiss the case, challenging the impartiality of the tribal judge, the prosecutors’ authority and the statute of limitations.

The high court justices denied the requests Tuesday.