Facebook Twitter Email
Special master criticizes Interior on shutdown
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2002

A federal judge overseeing the Individual Indian Money (IIM) class action released a report on the status of the Department of Interior's information technology (IT) shutdown.

Authored by special master Alan Balaran, whose investigation last year led to the court-ordered shutdown, the report criticizes the Interior for not providing a complete picture of the shutdown to Indian Country and the American public. "Interior's representations to the press, while not inaccurate, fail to adequately convey the delicate and extremely difficult process currently underway," he wrote.

Balaran specifically points to a memo written by Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb that was addressed to "tribal leaders." He also references an "Impacts Report" the Interior drafted on the same day that was provided to Congress and the White House Office of Management and Budget.

The two publications, Balaran says, do not make note of the reason for the shutdown: "the abysmal state of IT security and the vulnerabilities that have long impacted the security of Indian trust data and that have been institutionally ignored until the court took direct action."

Get the Report:
First Status Report of the Special Master (1/15)

Today on Indianz.Com:
Interior official denies trust fund 'conspiracy' (1/15)
Witness testified against software corruption (1/15)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust, Department of Interior - http://www.doi.gov/indiantrust
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

Related Stories:
Domenici to push Norton on payments (1/14)
McCaleb tries to explain computer shutdown (1/11)
Interior waited weeks on trust fund shutdown (1/9)
Order on trust fund payments sought (1/8)
Debate continues over trust fund shutdown (1/7)
Speedy trust fund payments sought (1/7)
Interior says working on shutdown (1/7)
Little hope for trust fund payments (1/4)
Computer security charge stands as checks delayed (12/21)
Checks to Great Lakes region delayed (12/20)
For BIA, a working holiday (12/19)
Taking lead on trust reform proves tough (12/19)
Baucus: Delay in checks 'unacceptable' (12/19)
Judge orders Interior reconnect (12/18)
Interior shutdown was 'overreaction' (12/18)
'Not be a very bright Christmas' (12/18)
Cost of Interior shutdown not known (12/17)
Interior computer agreement dropped (12/14)
Interior computer order finalized (12/13)
Editorial: Still ripping off Indians (12/12)
Griles in charge of IT reform (12/11)
Floods more important than Indians (12/10)
Judge holds security hearing (12/8)
DOI Shutdown: 'We're Hurting Tribes' (12/7)
From the top, a gamble in trust (12/7)
Norton acknowledges Internet problems (12/7)
'We're in the Dark' (12/7)
Judge orders Interior to cut Internet access (12/6)
Security contempt charge added (12/6)
Transcript of Dec. 5 trust fund hearing (12/6)
Interior doesn't understand court order (12/6)
Judge cuts trust fund access(12/5)
Report reveals attacks on tribal, Indian trust (12/5)
No Trust: Hacking the Department of Interior (12/5)
Judge holding secret hearings (12/4)
New: Security report released (12/4)