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FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2003

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals removed special master-monitor Joseph S. Kieffer III from the trust fund case on Thursday pending further review.

Kieffer was appointed as court monitor in April 2001. At the time the Department of Interior sought his presence while the Indian plaintiffs, preferring to start contempt proceedings, opposed him.

Kieffer embedded himself at the Interior and eventually produced several reports that helped contribute to Secretary Gale Norton and former assistant secretary Neal McCaleb being held in contempt.

Almost every finding in Kieffer's reports were challenged during the contempt trial that started in December 2001. The plaintiffs, through witness testimony and government documents, were forced to verify them independently.

In April 2001, Kieffer met with Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles, Associate Deputy Secretary Jim Cason, then-Special Trustee Tom Slonaker and then-Indian Trust Transition Director Ross Swimmer. Tommy Thompson, then-Slonaker's top aide, was present by telephone. The conversation, according to Griles, Cason and Swimmer, included admonitions to the Bush administration and formed the basis of a disqualification campaign.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, in September 2002, rejected the campaign and elevated Kieffer to a special master-monitor. He accused Griles of coming "perilously close to perjury" by omitting key facts of the fated meeting.

Slonaker, who was later forced out, and Thompson, who eventually resigned, never gave their account of the meeting. Swimmer was appointed to replace Slonaker.

Get the Story:
Interior Gets Break In Trust Fund Case (The Washington Post 4/25)
Court Monitor Suspended in Norton Case (AP 4/25)
Appeals judges hear Norton contempt case (AP 4/24)

Today on Indianz.Com:
Court hears Norton's appeal (4/25)

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

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Cobell sees positive in Supreme Court rulings (03/17)
Hall: Tribes 'at the table' in Cobell (3/10)
Norton set for speedy contempt appeal (1/28)
Norton attacks 'unfit' trustee ruling (12/9)
Norton fights trust fund contempt citation (11/20)
Norton's punishment on trust fund was light (11/20)
Norton appeals trust fund contempt decision (11/19)
Judge rejects campaign against trust oversight (10/01)
Diplomacy aside, Griles fails to convince (09/30)
Griles close to 'perjury' on Indian trust (09/18)