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Trust: 'At least someone is standing up for us'
Monday, September 1, 2003

The Cobell trust fund lawsuit, filed seven years ago this July, is the largest class action in the history of government management but just don't compare it to historical mistreatment of Native Americans.

"It is true that there are hundreds of years of bad history, horrible history between the United States government and Indian people and there is the Trail of Tears and Wounded Knee and the stories in my family's Sioux traditions," said Daniel DuBray, a Department of Interior spokesperson told Newsday. "But this case isn't about the Trail of Tears or Wounded Knee. This case is about what is required under a law passed in 1994 to perform an accounting, and the department believes it can perform an accounting and repair these issues."

Account holders see things differently. After years of inaction, they say U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth is finally holding the government accountable. "At least someone is standing up for us," Wilbur Bear Leggings of Montana says. "The United States is finally going to have to say what they've done to us . . . and give us what they owe us."

Lamberth recently concluded a 44-day trial and is deciding how the case will move forward. The Bush administration claims it can do an historical accounting but has imposed a number of limits on the project.

The plaintiffs have proposed an alternate methodology they say will ensure accurate account balances. Including interest, proceeds from land sales and other activity over the past century, they say $176 billion is owed.

Get the Story:
A Betrayal of Trust (Newsday 8/31)
The Force Behind Lawsuit (Newsday 8/31)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust

Related Stories:
Tally for private attorney fees in Cobell case rises (07/24)
Contempt charges against Interior vacated (7/21)
Commentary: Critics of Cobell, Lamberth shortsighted (7/21)
Neal McCaleb happy court is off his back (7/21)
Editorial: DOI, Congress can't be trusted to do right (7/21)
Editorial: What about holding tribes accountable? (7/21)
Norton cleared of contempt on trust fund (7/18)
Congress hacks Bush's accounting funds (7/16)
Trust fund provision stripped from House bill (7/15)
Swimmer partly right on trust fund rider (7/14)
Hearsay: House sending message to Lamberth (7/14)
Bill could strip DOI of trust fund management (7/14)
Bush official balks at large settlement for Cobell (7/10)
House takes testimony on trust fund settlement (7/10)
Editorial: Shame on Bush and Congress for rider (7/10)
Judge Lamberth hears closing arguments in Cobell trial (7/9)
Closing arguments set in Cobell trust fund trial (7/8)
Dicks pins anti-Cobell language on Taylor (7/7)
Editorial: Trust fund settlement bill 'disgraceful' (7/7)
Swimmer to appear on Native America Calling (7/7)
Swimmer finally off the stand in Cobell trial (7/3)
Swimmer testimony in Cobell trial wrapping up (7/2)
Swimmer recalls 'fuzzy' Reagan years (7/1)
Lamberth questions Norton's trust limits (7/1)
Pombo targets trust fund settlement program (6/30)
Swimmer testifies on trust fund accounting (6/27)
Swimmer challenged on Bush reform plans (6/27)
Swimmer expected to take stand in Cobell trial (6/25)
Griles gets Cobell wish list from House (6/26)
Taxpayers fund private attorneys to tune of $3M (6/25)
Norton offered settlement funds for IIM trust (6/20)
Swimmer testimony to come at end of Cobell trial (06/05)
Cason to take stand in Indian trust fund trial (6/4)
Indian trust standards debated (6/3)
Suit aims to halt reorganization (6/3)
Norton starts defense in trust fund trial (6/2)
Tribes stress unity on trust reform solutions (6/2)
Cobell welcomes a settlement to trust case (5/29)
Lamberth criticizes interference with trust fund case (05/22)
Tribes oppose OST expansion into Indian County (5/22)
Swimmer: Don't fear changes at Interior (5/22)
On trust, Swimmer turns to private sector (5/14)
Trial in Cobell trust fund case kicks off (05/02)
Bush reform plans debated in trust fund trial (05/02)
Cobell v. Norton Recap: Day 1 of Trial 1.5 (05/02)
Court tackles trust accounting and reform plans (05/01)
Court hears Norton's trust fund appeal (4/25)



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