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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2002

Republicans in the Alaska Legislature are being criticized for trying to politicize the debate over subsistence in the state.

State Sen. Robin Taylor, a Republican running for lieutenant governor, introduced a resolution on Friday calling for the Legislature to sue the federal government over the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The act set aside a rural priority for Alaska Natives, a right upheld by the federal courts in the Katie John case.

Taylor next called for a hearing on the bill to take place in Fairbanks, where opposition to a rural priority is strong. But he withdrew his request after Democrats objected and called the effort a campaign stunt.

Republicans in the Legislature have been at odds over the years with the rural priority. They hired Secretary of Interior Gale Norton, then a private attorney, to fight the John case.

Norton has since recused herself from the issue. But Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles recently told the department's federal subsistence board it should review its membership to determine whether Native and rural interests are over-represented.

Republican lawmakers also asked Norton to revoke the federal status of more than 200 Alaska Native tribes and village governments.

Get the Story:
Interior subsistence hearing derailed (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 2/9)

Relevant Links:
Subsistence Amendment, Alaska Governor Tony Knowles - http://www.gov.state.ak.us/subsistence_amendment
Native subsistence rights, Native American Rights Fund - http://www.narf.org/pubs/justice/1999SPRING/spring1999.htm
Alaska Federation of Natives - http://www.akfednatives.org
Katie John et al. v. State of Alaska - http://www.mountainstateslegal.org/legal_cases.cfm?legalcaseid=64

Related Stories:
Norton policy called setback (2/1)
GOP request has Alaska Natives fuming (1/28)
Subsistence an issue for Legislature (1/17)
Alaska subsistence amendment finalized (12/18)
Subsistence rulings causing strife (12/17)
Tribe wants subsistence declaration (12/13)
Subsistence approved on Alaska river (12/12)
Separate appeal of Katie John denied (11/27)
Knowles sets Native priorities (11/14)
Native subsistence proposal advanced (11/7)
Alaska losing subsistence game (11/5)
Subsistence amendment seeing delay (10/30)
Questions raised on subsistence (10/29)
AFN honors Elder of the Year (10/29)
AFN kicks off, Katie John revered (10/26)
Health issues talk of AFN (10/26)
Alaska Natives testify on racism (10/26)
Native dance event at AFN (10/24)
Alaska Native conference kicks off (10/23)
Alaska Native convention to meet (10/22)
Subsistence hearing scheduled (10/19)
Alaska lawmakers miss Katie John appea (10/15)
Subsistence amendment drafted (10/12)
Lawmakers want to appeal Katie John (10/5)
Alaska subsistence panel meets (9/25)
Poll: Alaskans want subsistence vote (9/17)
Group wants Katie John appealed (9/14)
Alaska subsistence panel to meet (9/11)
Knowles criticized for Katie John decision (8/29)
Alaska won't appeal Native rights case (8/28)
Subsistence summit changes little (8/27)
March held for Native subsistence (8/22)
Subsistence summit calls for changes (8/17)
Subsistence summit begins in Alaska (8/16)

More on Katie John:
Katie John case having effects (5/11)
Alaska Native subsistence case upheld (5/8)
Norton cutting old associations (1/25)
Norton's legal work criticized (1/12)
Alaska Native elder dies (12/4)