FROM THE ARCHIVE
Blackwell memo contradicts court order
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THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2002 The same day a federal judge renewed an order barring the Department of Interior from moving trust fund records, Deputy Commissioner Sharon Blackwell told Bureau of Indian Affairs offices they could freely transfer documents belonging to 300,000 American Indians. A memo Blackwell signed on May 3 asserted that U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth's temporary restraining order expired the day prior. Accordingly, BIA "personnel and contractors may resume 'routine use and intra-office movement of active records,'" she wrote. Blackwell sent her memo to regional and central office directors nationwide. She reminded the directors that they could only move documents within offices but not to other geographic locations. The memo was filed in federal court by attorneys representing Indian beneficiaries. Blackwell's directive was evidence that the Department of Interior and its attorneys "continue to flout this court’s orders and place irreplaceable trust records at risk of loss or destruction," they wrote. Blackwell is leaving her post in June. Get the Filing :
Emergency Notice (5/8)] Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://130.94.214.68/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp Related Stories:
Halt to trust records move extended (5/6)
Judge halts move of trust records (4/19)
Motion filed to stop records move (4/18)
Report slams top trust reform officials (4/18)
Court urged to stop records move (4/18)
Court issues report on trust records (4/17)
Paper clips and lip service for trust records (4/12)
More sanctions expected on trust fund (4/4)
Fees awarded to trust fund plaintiffs (4/1)
Trust records being moved (3/11)
In The Hoop: Records Retirement (2/20)
Interior slammed on trust fund progress (11/30)
Norton challenges contempt recommendation (11/15)
Action against Norton urged 'on all fronts' (10/29)
Interior loses challenge to trust fund probe (8/30)
Attempt to limit trust fund probe rejected (7/24)
Trust fund investigation continues (3/9)
Norton's trust fund office to be investigated (2/13)
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