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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2002

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth on Wednesday questioned the state of the Department of Interior's Internet-related shutdown, suggesting the delay in restoring access was a political ploy.

On December 5, Lamberth ordered the Interior to protect the assets of 300,000 American Indians. A court investigator and computer hackers he hired broke into the Individual Indian Money (IIM) system and gained the ability to access, modify, delete and even create trust data.

In response, department officials turned off e-mail, web site and other Internet access, saying they wanted to make sure they complied with the order. Lamberth called the tactic an updated version of the "Washington Monument syndrome."

"Every time Interior loses its appropriation, the first thing they do is close the Washington Monument," he said. "Then they go looking for money. In this case, people can't get online to check their favorite campsites."

"I really don't understand why Interior can't deal with this differently," Lamberth told Sandra Spooner, a Department of Justice attorney.

The shutdown has resulted in a flurry of criticism leveled at not just the Interior but to Lamberth. His court has been flooded with calls and letters from angry tribal leaders, American Indians and others concerned about the status.

Checks to IIM beneficiaries haven't been made since November. A plan to reconnect the system that processes payments has not been approved by special master Alan Balaran, as required by a document the government's own attorneys drafted.

In hopes of forcing the Interior to print the checks, attorneys representing the account holders have asked the judge to intervene. Lamberth has indicated he will consider a motion they filed soon but has not set a date.

Today on Indianz.Com:
End in sight for Norton contempt trial (1/10)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

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