"The federal government's $7 billion attempt to settle a Native trust lawsuit is both positive and insulting, the case's lead plaintiff told members of the U.S. Senate's Committee on Indian Affairs on Thursday.
“Positive” because it's the U.S. Interior and Justice departments' first attempt to suggest a dollar amount, said Elouise Cobell, lead plaintiff in a 10-year-old suit representing a half-million Native landowners.
And an “insult” because the government's offer goes well beyond the intent of her lawsuit.
Cobell sued the Interior Department in 1996 on behalf of 500,000 Native landowners in the largest class-action lawsuit filed against the federal government.
Her case seeks a historical accounting of thousands of royalty accounts managed by the Interior Department for more than a century.
The department and its Bureau of Indian Affairs were charged with collecting money from individual land leases and mineral royalty payments earned by landowners. But it's estimated billions of dollars were never deposited or altogether disappeared.
On March 1, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne proposed to end the case by providing $7 billion over a 10-year period to aid in the reconsolidation of Native land bases and fix fractionated land ownership.
But the proposal also would relieve the government of all historical accounting obligations and prevent tribes or individuals from suing in the future."
Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: Cobell calls trust offer ‘insulting'
(The Missoulian 3/30)
Committee Notice:
OVERSIGHT
HEARING on Indian trust fund litigation (March 29, 2007)
Settlement Letter:
Kempthorne-Gonzales to SCIA (March 1,
2007)
Elouise Cobell Statement:
NO
THANKS, WE’LL TAKE THE ACCOUNTING, INDIAN PLAINTIFFS SAY (March 8, 2007)
Sen. Dorgan Statement:
DORGAN
SAYS BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFERS $7 BILLION TO SETTLE SUIT OVER MISMANAGEMENT OF
INDIAN TRUST FUNDS (March 6, 2007)
Other Documents:
Alberto
Gonzales Testimony (March 1, 2005) | SCIA
Views and Estimates (March 1, 2007)
Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell
v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Related Stories:
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(3/29)
Gonzales won't
testify on trust fund (3/28)
Supreme
Court refuses Cobell appeals (3/27)
Editorial: The billion-dollar question
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Senate hearing on trust fund
litigation on Thursday (3/26)
The
downfall of J. Steven Griles (3/26)
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from the Past: NBC segment on Cobell (3/21)
Opinion: US owes Indians billions for theft
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(3/12)
Bush proposes $7B trust fund
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Editorial: Another good shot emerges for Cobell
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Cobell says Bush kills
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Editorial: End federal management of trust
(11/1)
Tribes face trust challenges from
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Cobell
attorney criticizes Bush changes to bill (10/27)
Staff confirms Bush behind Cobell proposals
(10/26)
Bush seeks major changes to
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Senate committee
holds more Cobell meetings (10/23)
Time
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Cobell sees parallels in Aboriginal wage theft
(10/16)
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(9/18)
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Cobell fights for judge in trust
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Senate committee to
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Human
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Editorial: Justice for Indian account holders
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Professor: Removal of Judge
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Cobell eager to
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Letter: Nearly $1B wasted on Swimmer's trust reform
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Editorial: Stop delaying settlement
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McCain puts twist in
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Bush
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Cobell settlement bill 'dead' in Congress
(8/2)
Time running out on Cobell
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Editorial: It's
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Ross Swimmer: Interior still 'working' on trust
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Cobell issues statement on
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Cobell
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Editorial: Lamberth too honest in trust fund case
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Cooler heads sought in Indian
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Lamberth removed
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Cobell rallies for
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Editorial: Give Kempthorne a chance on Cobell
(6/15)
Cobell files contempt charges
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Editorial:
Dirk Kempthorne arrives in Washington (6/13)
Swimmer calls Cobell settlement 'reparations'
(5/8)
Cobell: Settle Indian trust fund
case for billions (4/20)
Cobell to appear
on C-SPAN Washington Journal (4/12)
Cobell renews call for receiver as court hears case
(4/12)
Cobell vows fight to resolve
trust fund lawsuit (4/10)
Cobell plans
big showing on day of court hearing (4/4)
Jodi Rave: Tribes alarmed at trust reform
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Cobell addresses trust
fund mismanagement (3/30)
Ross Swimmer:
Indian trust not about mismanagement (3/29)
Norton denies fraud or major problem with trust
(3/29)
GAO report warns of billions in
lost oil, gas royalties (3/29)
Witness
list for hearing on Indian Trust Reform Act (3/28)
DOI trust reform meeting set for Portland, Oregon
(3/24)
Kempthorne faces hot issues at
Interior Department (3/21)
DOI pressed
for more clarity on trust initiative (3/3)
Congress urged to settle Cobell lawsuit for
billions (03/02)
Listening Lounge: Joint
hearing on Cobell v. Norton (03/01)
Interior hits the road with new trust reform
initiative (02/08)
Jodi Rave: Garcia
calls for settlement of Cobell (2/3)
Cason slashes BIA budget and blames it on Cobell
(2/3)
Tribes discuss trust reform bill,
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Commentary:
Swimmer still not telling the truth on trust (1/26)
Opinion: Indians want $12B of 'YOUR' money
(01/10)
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