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FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2002

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has subpoenaed Secretary of Interior Gale Norton to appear at a hearing on environmental justice but she won't appear due to a scheduling conflict.

The commission is holding the hearing February 8. An Interior spokesperson indicated the department would send someone else.

"We have an entire department on Indian affairs that has a lot of experts," Hugh Vickery told The Washington Times.

In addition to Norton, Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman are being summoned. It is believed to be the first time in two decades top Cabinet members have been subpoenaed.

The commission is currently in a dispute with the Bush administration over the installation of a new member. Chairwoman Mary Frances Berry and her Democrat-leaning allies don't want to seat a conservative African-American lawyer on the board.

The Bush administration has filed a lawsuit to force the commission into accepting Peter Kirsanow.

Get the Story:
Rights commission subpoenas 3 in Cabinet (The Washington Times 1/25)

Relevant Links:
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights - http://www.usccr.gov

Related Stories:
Rights panel dispute part of larger one (12/18)
Bush files suit on civil rights pick (12/11)