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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2002

After complaining pretty loudly about the role of a trust fund monitor, the Department of Interior is all of a sudden quiet about a judge's ruling affirming his court's oversight.

Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles, his top aide Jim Cason and Ross Swimmer criticized special master-monitor Joseph S. Kieffer III in court declarations. Griles was later called to task for displaying "an alarming lack of candor [that] comes perilously close to perjury by omission" in a federal judge's ruling.

Kieffer was attacked as biased and the department refused to pay a recent legal bill. Despite this, Interior officials distributed a document sprinkled with quotes from Kieffer's reports and said it was evidence of progress by the Bush administration.

Get the Story:
Judge suggests Indian foes are seeking retaliation (The Farmington Daily-Times 10/4)

Relevant Documents:
Order to Pay Fees (9/30)

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

Related Stories:
Norton rebuffed on Cobell court fees (10/2)
Norton ordered to keep court promise (10/1)
Navajo delegates want DOI stripped of trust (10/1)
'They resurrected Ross Swimmer' (10/1)
Griles' credibility on trust doubted (9/30)
Uncle Sam is a trustee, not Sugar Daddy (9/30)
Jodi Rave Series: Indian trust problems (9/30)
Lamberth, a twin, 'having a good time' (9/30)
Campbell touted separate trust agency (9/30)
Sparks fly at trust reform meeting (9/27)
Here comes BITAM all over again (9/27)
100 years of incompetence you can trust (9/27)
GOPs don't like Cobell legal fees (9/27)
NCAI: 'Alarming' land grab proposal (9/27)
McCain: DOI lacks 'credibility' on trust (9/27)
Norton drafts Indian land grab (9/26)
Report: DOI computer system 'crashed' (9/26)
Editorial: Norton should be rid of trust (9/26)
Editorial: Joining 'pantheon of the unfit' (9/26)
Editorial: Norton deserved court slap (9/26)
Editorial: Sanction Norton's deceit (9/26)
Indian trust 'a national disgrace' (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)