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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2002

The federal judge overseeing the Indian trust class action issued a number of decisions on Tuesday.

The biggest was a ruling holding Secretary of Interior Gale Norton and Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb in civil contempt of court for providing misleading information to the court. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said the Bush officials were "unfit" to be trustee-delegates.

Lamberth also set a "phase 1.5" trial of the case for May 2003. The trial will deal with issues for an historical accounting of the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust in preparation to restate the accounts.

Lamberth also directed special master Alan Balaran to make reports and recommendations on each of 37 government officials wanted in contempt.

Get the Story:
Interior's Norton Cited For Contempt In Trust Suit (The Washington Post 9/18)
Judge Holds Interior Secretary In Contempt Over Indian Trust (The Wall Street Journal 9/18)
Norton convicted of civil contempt (The Denver Post 9/18)
Norton and McCaleb found guilty of contempt of court (Indian Country Today 9/18)
Norton ruled in contempt (The Denver Rocky Mountain News 9/18)
Highlights of Norton ruling (The Denver Rocky Mountain News 9/18)
Officials found in contempt for errors in Indian accounts (The Daily Oklahoman 9/18)
Interior secretary in contempt over Indian royalties (USA Today 9/18)
Interior Secretary Is Held in Contempt Over Indian Fund (The Los Angeles Times 9/18)
Judge holds Interior head in contempt (The Great Falls Tribune 9/18)
Interior secretary held in contempt for trust fund mess (Government Executive Magazine 9/18)
Secretary Norton is cited for contempt in Indian trust case (Government Computer News 9/18)
Norton defends effort to fix US Indian trust fund (Reuters 9/18)
Judge holds Interior chief in contempt (AP 9/18)
PLAY VIDEO: Judge Comes Down 'Hard' On Interior Secretary (KPHO-TV 5 9/17)
AUDIO: Interior Secretary Norton Cited for Contempt of Court (NPR 9/17)
Judge Holds Interior Secy In Contempt; Norton May Appeal (The Wall Street Journal 9/17)
Federal Judge Holds Norton in Contempt for Failing to Fix Indian Trust (The Washington Post 9/17)
Interior officials found in contempt (Federal Computer Week 9/17)
Interior Secretary Held in Contempt (AP 9/17)
U.S. Interior Secretary Norton Held in Contempt in Indian Case (Bloomberg News 9/17)
Interior Secretary Norton Ruled in Contempt (Reuters 9/17)
Interior Secretary Held In Contempt (CBS 9/17)
Judge Holds Gale Norton in Contempt (Fox News 9/17)
Interior chief held in contempt over tribal funds (MSNBC 9/17)
Norton cited for contempt in Indian case (UPI 9/17)

Today on Indianz.Com:
Norton 'unfit' to manage Indian trust (9/18)
Griles nearly perjured himself (9/18)

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 found in contempt for trust fund (9/17)
Judge holds Norton in contempt (9/17)
Your Ultimate Guide to Contempt (9/5)