Gover: McCaleb didn't 'believe' in reorg

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2002

"[F]arewell to Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb. His departure leaves a void that we will come to regret. We should worry that an accomplished and experienced politician whose heart was in the right place should come to such woe in so short a time. It demonstrates the weakness of the Assistant Secretary position and the meanness of Washington.

The Administration will have a very difficult time finding a credible replacement. Anybody smart enough to do the job might well be too smart to take it under the current circumstances. It was evident that Mr. McCaleb was carrying BIA reorganization proposals to the tribes that he did not necessarily believe in. It�s also evident that the Department wants to trim back its responsibilities in the area of Indian trust. That�s a tough message for an Assistant Secretary to sell to Indian country."

Get the Story:
Kevin Gover: A year-end rumination: It�s getting real cold in Washington (Indian Country Today 12/20)