ending February 23
Vice President Dick Cheney with
Jay Leno. Photo © Reuters.
After weeks of a tedious trial and some testy tribulations, a federal judge heard closing arguments in Secretary of Interior Gale Norton's contempt trial and set off to decide whether to sanction her for the handling of the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust fund. By the sound of U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth's recent criticisms, the future doesn't look bright for Norton and Indian Affairs Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb. More than two years after his initial decision, the Department of Interior has yet to commence an historical accounting of the funds owed to 300,000 American Indians while numerous problems persist. The state of affairs could leave the government paying millions in dollars in fees to attorneys representing the beneficiaries. A decision is expected in the coming weeks. Get the Story:
McCaleb talks trust with Sam (2/19)
Norton dropping Clinton policy (2/20)
Judge says 'duped' by government (2/21)
Judge blasts Interior 'deception' (2/21)
Contempt testimony concludes (2/21)
Norton trial closes with arguments (2/22)
Defense on security charge lacking (2/22)
Closing arguments wrap up trial (2/22) Indian Country wonders where funds are
More than a month after it said it would begin processing lease payments to Indian landowners, the Department of Interior admitted this week there were still bottlenecks holding up the much needed checks. And more than a week after Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles told a Senate committee he was "tired" of waiting on a federal court for approval to operate a computer system, the department still hadn't made oil and gas royalty payments to tribes and individual beneficiaries. Where the money is, no one knows. But it's not in the pocketbooks of thousands of American Indians, many of whom have gone desperately without funds since November and face health, credit and other problems, as attested to by tribal leader Tex Hall during the Bush administration's contempt trial. Get the Story:
Letter: Dom Nessi took my job (2/19)
email@nps.gov sputtering through (2/19)
Royalty checks still not out (2/20)
NCAI President testifies on shutdown (2/21)
DOI: 'No idea' on royalty payments (2/21)
BIA: Grazing checks in 'backlog' (2/22) more stories
There's still more to read in the recap of the top stories.