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Norton Ordered to Jail on Trust Fund
BIA Books 'Little Guy' in Federal Court 
Secretary of Interior Gale Norton shown here in this January 27, 2002, file photo at a press conference in Copan, Honduras. (AP)
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By Tom Wannabetterjob
Tomorrow Staff Writer
Monday, April 1, 2002; 1:30 PM WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A federal judge today ordered Secretary of Interior Gale Norton and Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb to jail for their mishandling of the Indian trust fund, Native America Calling reported today. "They've got them in handcuffs," said host Harlan McKosato from Waikiki Beach, Hawaii. In a phone call, a Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement source said the two Bush administration officials were being booked in federal district court in Washington, D.C. Cecil Timberline said they were "being searched by some big BIA cop," alleged to be Cherokee. "They just brought in a famous personality," Timberline said. "Secretary something or the other of some big department there." "They brought this other little guy in," he added, referring to McCaleb. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth handed down his decision today, the show reported. Each faced five charges for lying to the court, withholding information from the court and failing to tell 300,000 Indian account holders how much they are owed, rumored to be just $10, according to a recent report. Timberline said Norton was enraged by being brought in to a BIA holding cell. But she calmed down after being placed in handcuffs, he said. "I think she kind of liked that," he said. Timberline then said shredded documents, money and old treaties were found in Norton's possession. |
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