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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2002

"A federal judge last week rightfully criticized the Interior Secretary Gale Norton for failing to fix a shameful system that has deprived Native Americans of billions of dollars.

But while the judge was right to rebuke Norton in unusually harsh language, he shouldn't have stopped there. Norton's predecessors going back more than a century are just as culpable, as are many other employees of the federal government.

It is time to give up on government management of this trust and turn it over to financial specialists who specialize in such matters. Congress should pay a private outfit to do its best to unsnarl this tangle.

Then Native American nations should be allowed to manage their own trusts or decide who would do so."

Get the Story:
Our Opinion: A disgraceful mishandling of Indian assets (The Tucson Citizen 9/24)

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://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp

Related Stories:
Indian trust 'a national disgrace' (9/25)
DOI claims a partial accounting (9/25)
Editorial: Strip Norton of trust (9/25)
The Indian Enron and other editorials (9/25)
Editorial: Norton's failure is 'disgrace' (9/24)
Norton chided on Cobell 'accounting' (9/23)
TAAMS witness not 'credible' (9/23)
Tiny praise for Norton on trust (9/23)
Editorial: Norton's 'shameful' behavior (9/23)
Editorial: Don't appeal trust fund ruling (9/23)
Editorial: Lamberth throws 'temper tantrum' (9/23)
Editorial: Probe Norton subordinates too (9/23)
Editorial: Norton needs to settle trust (9/23)
Slonaker to testify at Senate hearing (9/23)
Norton's denials ring hollow (9/20)
McCaleb blames trust fund on Babbitt (9/20)
Editorial: Norton's trust boondoggle (9/20)
Editorial: Norton 'toss in the towel' (9/20)
Norton's contempt worries not over (9/19)
Editorial: Norton has made no reforms (9/19)
Column: Norton, aides like 'kids' on trust (9/19)
Norton cited for Indian trust 'fraud' (9/19)
Norton 'unfit' to manage Indian trust (9/18)
Griles nearly perjured himself (9/18)
Congress responds to contempt (9/18)
Lamberth makes ruling on trust (9/18)
Editorial: Send Norton the liar to jail (9/18)
Editorial: Norton deserves rebuke (9/18)
Editorial: Norton is 'disgrace' (9/18)
Slonaker feels vindicated by ruling (9/18)
Norton found in contempt for trust fund (9/17)
Judge holds Norton in contempt (9/17)
Rahall: End the trust fund charade (9/17)