Awake

Some Good News: Secretary Norton Resigns

Now former Secretary Gale Norton has resigned. This is of some relief, although the notorious legacy of the U.S. Department of the Interior hardly encourages hope in the appointment of a steward that could actually treat the indigenous people of the U.S. not to mention the environment with any dignity, respect or justice. Nevertheless, I am glad to see her go. Among other things, her notorious behaviour and managerial decisions relating to Cobell v. Norton (the individual Indian trust management class action suit) definitely validate, if not summon, her resignation. I just hope the next appointee will not engage in managerial actions that delay proceedings, destroy evidence, or desperately attempt to continue the deny individual Indian trust holders just compensation.

Quoted from this Indian Country article: Interior Secretary Gale Norton resigns (2006-03-10):

Norton has had a slippery relationship with American Indian tribes, especially on the issues of trust reform and the reorganization of the BIA. All tribal leaders in the Great Plains opposed her plan to reorganize the BIA.

Some Alaska Natives will always remember her as the person who led the drive to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration.

Norton was also at the heart of the controversial Cobell v. Norton lawsuit over Indian trust management. She was held in contempt of court for not complying with U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth's orders to provide materials and research historic data for the Individual Indian Trust accounts.