Norton again refuses to pay court official

FROM THE ARCHIVE

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2003

Attorneys for Secretary of Interior Gale Norton are refusing to compensate a court official for work he has done on the Indian trust fund lawsuit.

Court papers filed on Friday challenge two months of work by Joseph S. Kieffer, the special master-monitor. The government says his some of his requests for payment weren't specific enough, improperly miscalculate and beyond his authority.

The total amount in dispute, according to the government, is $62,812.50.

In April 2001, Norton agreed to pay Kieffer $250 an hour for his efforts. After he released several reports critical of her failure to fix the broken system, she has tried to disqualify him and has refused to pay his legal bills.

At the same time, the government is paying up to $200 an hour, depending on experience, for attorneys hired by 39 current and former government officials. The attorneys can charge up to 120 hours a month but additional compensation is allowed.

Relevant Documents:
Interior Defendants' Motion to Adjust the Special Master-Monitor's November and December 2002 Compensation (January 31, 2003)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp