NCAI's Hall to press Interior on transition funding

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2002

Angry that the Department of Interior won't release costs associated with controversial appointee Ross Swimmer, National Congress of American Indians President Tex Hall said he would demand the information at a meeting with government officials later this week.

Hall, chairman of a tribal task force on trust reform, said the department should disclose the activities of the Office of Indian Trust Transition, which Swimmer directs. He said tribes have a right to know how money is being spent to manage their own assets.

"I think they are being really secretive about what they are doing," Hall said. "Usually when they are being secretive about what they are doing, it's not right."

Citing privacy and personnel issues, department officials have declined to say how the office is being funded. They also won't say how many employees are working under Swimmer.

But in a court filing last week, government attorneys cited the establishment of the office as a reason not to hold Bush officials in contempt. They said the office has been "initially staffed."

Hall said the disclosure raises questions about existing Bureau of Indian Affairs operations. "If they are taking staff within the bureau, within existing programs, what happens to those programs?" he said.

Hall added that the status of Swimmer's position with the department needs to be clarified. "If he's an employee, I'm sure he's went through the background investigation because he's working with some very sensitive information," he said. "Has he been screened accordingly?"

"If they're not answering any of those questions," Hall said, we're going to make them."

The task force, which is made up of 36 tribal leaders and additional technical advisers, will meet Friday and Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona, with department officials. Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles, Associate Deputy Secretary Jim Cason, Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb and Special Trustee Tom Slonaker are expected to attend.

Secretary Gale Norton is not scheduled to attend. So far, she has met only for a few hours with the task force.

Today on Indianz.Com:
Cobell blamed for trust fund failure (3/6)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://130.94.214.68/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp

Related Stories:
Norton in full damage control mode (3/4)
How much does Ross Swimmer make? (3/4)
Norton says working with tribes (3/4)
Gover: I can't think of something better (3/4)
Editorial: Abuse of power (3/4)
New trust reform contract draws complaints (3/1)
BITAM comments still accepted (3/1)
Key trust reform player leaving BIA (2/28)
McCaleb says Cobell a 'blessing' (2/28)
Tribes to hold Indian trust forum (2/28)
Pot chairman supports Swimmer (2/28)
Senate takes shot at trust fund (2/27)
Sharon Blackwell leaving BIA (2/27)
Norton retreats on BITAM proposal (2/26)
NCAI's Hall still doubts Norton (2/26)
Daschle: 'Significant' questions on BITAM (2/26)
Norton admits BITAM not only solution (2/25)
ICT: Norton axes 'superior' comment (2/25)
Tribes again criticize BITAM (2/15)
Senate panel grills Griles on trust fund (2/13)
Swimmer legacy haunts BIA (2/12)
Congress urged to act on failed trust act (2/11)
Dog and pony show moves to Congress (2/7)
Norton dodges questions on Internet shutdown (2/7)
Norton goes before House panel (2/7)
Editorial: Take trust from Interior (2/7)
Tribes take assault to Congress (2/6)
Judge rejects 'improper' request by Norton (2/6)
Trust drives small increase in BIA budget (2/5)
Interior security funds outlined (2/5)
Monitor's 'only hope' seen as termination (2/4)
Memo sounded early warning on TAAMS (2/4)
Indian Country lacks confidence in Norton (2/4)
On the Indian trust bandwagon (2/4)
No light at end of Interior tunnel (2/4)
Norton's weekend in the woods (2/1)
Norton sketches trust reform budget (2/1)