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Norton accused of high-level retaliation
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 2002

Last Updated: 4:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Secretary of Interior Gale Norton's "minions" are trying to discredit the only department official with a background in trust matters, according to a scathing court report released today.

By attacking Special Trustee Tom Slonaker, Norton and her subordinates are setting him up for possible dismissal, court monitor Joseph S. Kieffer wrote. In his seventh report, Kieffer documents an all out war waged against Slonaker and his top aide, Tommy Thompson.

"The actions of the defendants subordinates and attorneys toward the Special Trustee and his Principal Deputy are unconscionable and smack of retaliation," Kieffer writes.

The source of the feud dates to last fall, when Slonaker refused to certify a status update on trust reform. At the time, Norton questioned his obstinance. Thompson and other senior managers also refused to verify the report and wrote a memo decrying "intimidation" by Solicitor Bill Myers.

The tensions have heightened, in part due to the Bush administration's contempt trial, Kieffer writes. Both Slonaker and Thompson testified against Norton in the recently concluded proceedings.

"The actions defendants have taken against these two officials and contempt trial witnesses and the methods used by them come very close to constituting retaliation," the report states.

Instead of owing up to their own possible contemptuous actions, Kieffer says Norton's subordinates and attorneys have blamed Slonaker and his staff. Kieffer cites a recent memo slamming the Office of the Special Trustee for not making enough progress to fix the broken trust.

"By their unvarnished exhibition of a continuing pattern of contempt for this Special Trustee’s authority and statutory responsibilities," Kieffer writes, "they have managed to place him in a position where his responses to their attacks can only harm them in the eyes of this Court and the Congress."

"This Shakespearean tragedy has no end."

Get the Report:
Kieffer Report (5/2)

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