Home > News > Headlines

printer friendly version
Lamberth orders Interior to turn over e-mails
Friday, May 27, 2005

The federal judge handling the Indian trust fund case ordered the Interior Department on Thursday to turn over e-mails of top officials, including Secretary Gale Norton, associate deputy secretary Jim Cason and former deputy secretary J. Steven Griles.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth gave Interior a schedule to turn over the documents. He said the e-mails were necessary as part of the ongoing evidentiary hearing into the security of the department's computer systems.

The e-mails at issue are in the custody of ZANTAZ [company site], a firm hired to preserve the department's electronic communications. The firm had been hired after former assistant secretary Neal McCaleb admitted he destroyed his e-mails in potential violation of court orders and internal policy.

Lamberth has said he is still considering whether to hold McCaleb in contempt of court.

Court Order:
Cobell v. Norton (May 26, 2005)

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

Related Stories:
DOI to go ahead with wireless despite IG report (5/24)
Opinion: Feds still dragging feet on Indian trust fund (5/23)
Hearing weighed for McCaleb's e-mail destruction (05/11)
Interior Secretary Gale Norton hacked by expert (5/10)
Hacker tells court how he broke into DOI systems (5/4)
Trust fund hearing dispute causes delay in testimony (5/3)
Lamberth to hold hearing on trust fund security (5/2)
Interior ordered to trial on trust fund security (4/26)
Court report blasts McCaleb for destroying records (01/27)
Court: McCaleb 'fabricated' e-mail story (1/24)
Martin read about deposition online (12/23)
BIA aides circumventing court (12/16)
Martin's role in incident surfaces (12/16)
McCaleb to go before investigator again (12/16)
McCaleb won't undergo more questioning (12/17)
BIA aides e-mail use prompts inquiry (12/17)
McCaleb aides circumventing court (12/16)
Martin's role in incident surfaces (12/16)
McCaleb to go before investigator again (12/16)
Deposition and hearing on trust fund (12/13)
McCaleb e-mail probe widens (12/11)
McCaleb aide ordered to testify (12/9)
McCaleb being deposed on e-mails (12/6)
Interior's casualties of war (11/25)
McCaleb resigning from BIA (11/22)
17 months at arm's length (11/22)
Court cites 'troubling record' at Interior (11/14)
McCaleb admits to e-mail 'misunderstanding' (10/23)
Interior admits to more destruction of e-mails (10/22)
Probe raises more questions than answers (08/07)
DOI investigation released (8/7)
No one to punish for destroyed e-mails (4/10)
Request for trust fund probe rejected (11/7)
Internal trust fund investigation sought (8/22)

Copyright © 2000-2005 Indianz.Com