Norton cutting old associations

JANUARY 25, 2001

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Wednesday released disclosure documents showing that Gale Norton plans to cut ties with several Colorado associations.

Norton plans to leave the board of the Independence Institute in Golden. Norton made a speech before this conservative group lamenting the loss of states' rights. Her critics said her comparison to the Civil War and her description of a wheelchair ramp at the state capitol as "ugly" characterized her as insensitive to minorities and the disabled.

Norton will also leave the Governor's Columbine High School Review Commission and is leaving her job at Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber, a law firm. She is also leaving the board of advisers of the Defenders of Property Rights, a group suing the Department of Interior over eagle protections.

She is also recusing herself from the Katie John Alaska Native subsistence rights case. She was paid by the Alaska Legislature to help overturn the decision and contracted the services of Mountain States Legal Foundation in writing a brief on the case. She has a tax-sheltered annuity from the Colorado group but is converting it to a retirement account.

Get the Story:
Interior nominee severs ties with Colo. groups (The Denver Post 1/25)

Relevant Links:
Stop Gale Norton - www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/
stop-norton/index.html
Say No to Norton - www.saynotonorton.org
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee - www.senate.gov/~energy

Related Stories:
Norton hit on Indian issues (Politics 1/24)
Indian opinion on Norton split (Politics 1/24)
Norton critics not swayed by hearing (Politics 1/24)
Norton's phone calls questioned (Politics 1/23)
Effects of Norton vote weighed (Politics 1/23)
Norton hearings conclude (Politics 1/22)
Norton promises tribal support (Politics 1/19)
GOPS vs. Dems on Norton (Politics 1/19)
Norton foes head to DC (Politics 1/19)
Bush, Norton protesters arrested (Politics 1/19)
Challenges, risks cited at Interior (Politics 1/18)
Norton hearing begins today (Politics 1/18)
Legal colleagues support Norton (Politics 1/18)
COMMENTARY: Norton hearing transcript (Politics 1/18)
Norton's client tied to Goshute nuclear group (Politics 1/18)
GOP defends Norton (Politics 1/17)
Hearings for Ashcroft, Norton this week (Politics 1/16)
Cantwell faces challenging start (Politics 1/12)
Tribes in middle of property-rights battle (Tribal Law 1/12)
On defense, Bush makes new choice (Politics 1/12)
Norton's legal work criticized (Politics 1/12)
Norton: Bad for BIA? (Politics 1/11)
What's next for Interior, BIA? (Tribal Law 1/11)
Norton group suing Interior over eagles (Politics 01/11)
Chavez out -- Ashcroft, Norton next? (Politics 1/10)
Bush nominees face attacks (Politics 1/9)
EDITORIAL: Norton is 'war' on West (The Talking Circle 1/9)
Norton's client list diverse (Politics 1/5)
Tough road ahead for Norton, others (Politics 1/4)
Bush names Norton to Interior (Politics 12/29)
Who is Gale Norton? (Politics 12/29)