Cobell plaintiffs oppose Republican bill to restrict attorney fees
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Filed Under:
Cobell
The plaintiffs in the
Indian trust fund lawsuit said a bill to limit their attorney fee threatens the $3.4 billion settlement to the case.
The settlement leaves the final decision on fees to a federal judge. But House Republicans, angry over a court filing that requests $223 million, introduced
H.R.887 to limit fees to $50 million.
"Political interference in the judicial process would harm 500,000 individual Indians, undermine our system of government and jeopardize the settlement in its entirety," the plaintiffs said in a statement.
In the settlement, the plaintiffs and the Obama administration agreed not to appeal a fee award between $50 million and $99.9 million.
Republican lawmakers say the plaintiffs, in Congressional testimony, promised to limit fees to $99.9 million.
The
House
Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs held a hearing on the bill yesterday. No one from the Cobell team or the Obama administration testified.
Get the Story:
GOP bill would reopen debate on Indian trust settlement legal fees
(The Great Falls Tribune 4/6)
Legal fees debated in $3.4 billion Indian trust case settlement
(The Oklahoman 4/6)
Panel hears plan to cap fees in $3.4B settlement (AP 4/5)
House Republicans Want Legal Fees Capped in Cobell Case (The Blog of Legal Times 4/5)
Committee Notice:
Legislative
Hearing on H.R. 887 (April 5, 2011)
Related Stories:
Rep. Young threatens subpoena over bill on
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Audio from House hearing on bill to restrict
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Witness list for
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Rep. Cole questions need for bill to limit Cobell
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Subcommittee sets hearing on bill to limit Cobell
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Cobell attorneys
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House Republicans plan bill to limit Cobell
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Key deadline
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Dorgan calls Cobell attorney fee request for $223M
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Editorial: Lawyers the
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Cobell attorneys facing criticism over request for
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Elouise Cobell
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Cobell team holding meetings across Indian Country
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Cobell attorneys
detail request for $223M fees for 14 years of work (2/2)
Notification process begins this week for $3.4B
Cobell settlement (1/18)
Attorney fees an
issue as Cobell settlement moves ahead in court (1/4)
Shoshone-Bannock landowner not optimistic on trust
reform at DOI (1/3)
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