Facebook Twitter Email
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2002

Elouise Cobell, lead plaintiff in the Individual Indian Money (IIM) class action, will not receive millions from a potential settlement, she tells the Christian Science Monitor.

"One of the persistent rumors I always hear is that I'm going to somehow collect millions of dollars in reward money for taking on the lawsuit," the Blackfeet Nation of Montana banker is quoted as saying.

Several attempts have been made to settle the case in recent years. Talks by the Bush administration broke down last fall.

Cobell and her attorneys claim at least $10 billion and possibly hundreds more. Some Department of Interior officials dispute the figure but Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb last month told Sam Donaldson of ABC News that he couldn't refute it.

Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles told Congress last week the department wasn't in a position to even suggest a settlement. He said efforts to conduct an historical accounting are underway and rejected a model proposed by the Cobell plaintiffs.

Get the Story:
A Blackfeet's crusade to settle accounts with US (Christian Science Monitor 3/20)

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

Related Stories:
Trust fund check figures doubted (3/18)
Judge 'dumbfounded' with DOI (3/15)
Interior blames security on consultants (2/26)
DOI: We're writing checks (2/25)
Defense on security charge lacking (2/22)
BIA: Grazing checks in 'backlog' (2/22)
Judge says 'duped' by government (2/21)
Judge blasts Interior 'deception' (2/21)
NCAI President testifies on shutdown (2/21)
Contempt testimony concludes (2/21)
Judge says 'duped' by government (2/21)
Judge blasts Interior 'deception' (2/21)
NCAI President testifies on shutdown (2/21)
Contempt testimony concludes (2/21)
DOI: 'No idea' on royalty payments (2/21)
Royalty checks still not out (2/20)
Letter: Dom Nessi took my job (2/19)
email@nps.gov sputtering through (2/19)
No payments hurt Indian Country (2/14)
Griles has hope on contempt (2/13)
Norton concludes testimony (2/13)
Norton takes the stand in contempt (2/13)
Norton agrees to testify (2/12)
Norton set for trial testimony (2/12)
Audit finds more security holes (2/8)
Norton dodges questions on Internet shutdown (2/7)
McCaleb: From a donkey to Star Trek (2/6)
Navajo Nation distributing checks (2/6)
Interior security funds outlined (2/5)
Navajo Nation approves royalty funds (1/30)
Letter: Enough is enough! (1/30)
Gaming commission ignoring Norton (1/28)
BIA to start payment processing (1/25)
Interior turning on trust fund system (1/24)
Computer security finally a concern (1/23)
Indian trust seen in new light (1/23)
Interior shutdown has wide effects (1/21)
Norton told of security problems (1/18)
Interior's weaknesses not unique (1/17)
Norton effort 'too little, too late' (1/16)
Interior shutdown still unresolved (1/16)
Norton notes 'challenge' of daily work (1/15)
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)