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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2001

The following is a statement made by Eric Ruff, director of communications at the Department of Interior, in response to a judge's order for Secretary Gale Norton and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Neal McCaleb to face civil contempt charges on the Individual Indian Money (IIM) lawsuit. November 28, 2001.

"Secretary Gale Norton and Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb remain committed to trust reform. The matters in the court order reach back to 1999 and present a complex set of facts and circumstances. The issues raised against Norton and McCaleb in their institutional capacities as department officials and not in their personal capacities.

"Since Secretary Norton took the helm at Interior on Jan. 31, 2001, she has moved on several fronts to improve the Indian trust program. She created the Office of Historical Trust Accounting to address the requirements to provide historical reconciliations of individual Indian money accounts. The department also commissioned EDS Inc., a widely respected independent consulting firm, to study the department's trust management program. This study provides the additional support for the Secretary's most recent decision to reorganize the department's Indian trust program. This reform will consolidate Indian trust responsibilities into a new department organization.

"Such progress is evidence of the department's commitment and determination to resolve the Indian trust issue."

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Norton ordered to trial for 'fraud' (11/29)