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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2002

"Last Tuesday, the [Federal District] Court held that "Secretary Norton ... can now rightfully take (her) place alongside former Secretary Babbit ... in the pantheon of unfit trustee-delegates." The Court held Interior Secretary Gale Norton in contempt of court for falsely leading the court to believe that the department was bringing itself into compliance with law and begin the process of correcting past accounting wrongs.

The Court ended its opinion with, "I may have life tenure, but, at the rate the Department of Interior is progressing, that is not a long enough appointment."

We support U.S. District Court Judge Lamberth's opinion. In addition to inconsistent accounting errors, money has disappeared.

We believe that if the federal government is incapable of executing its duties as trustee for the Individual Indian Money Trust, a new trustee scheme must be deployed, which allows the Indian beneficiaries to protect and manage the assets."

Get the Story:
Editorial: US Interior Secretary Gale Norton added to pantheon of the unfit (Ka Leo O Hawaii 9/24)

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://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp

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DOI claims a partial accounting (9/25)
Editorial: Strip Norton of trust (9/25)
The Indian Enron and other editorials (9/25)
Editorial: Norton's failure is 'disgrace' (9/24)
Norton chided on Cobell 'accounting' (9/23)
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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)
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Griles nearly perjured himself (9/18)
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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)