Blackfeet woman sees end to 14-year govt fight

[IDemo]

By MATT VOLZ - Associated Press Writer
Published: 05/22/10

BROWNING, Mont. — Elouise Cobell sat behind her cluttered desk here in the windblown heart of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and peered at a visitor through dark glasses that couldn't quite hide the deep bruise that ran down her cheek to her jaw.

Her appearance made her a bit self-conscious, offering an unexpected glimpse of a woman who had built a reputation for fearlessness after 14 years standing toe-to-toe with the federal government in an attempt to recover billions of dollars of squandered Indian trust money.

Cobell, 64, fainted in Washington, D.C., during a trip in April to meet with congressional leaders. She hit the sidewalk hard and was rushed to the hospital to treat a fractured orbital bone. She hadn't slept the night before her collapse and spent that whole day rushing from meeting to meeting, she explained.

But with the end in sight to her long fight - a $3.4 billion settlement that could be approved by Congress this month - the bruises have not slowed her down. Neither has the buildup to the vote, which has meant countless meetings, phone calls and dusty road trips to remote parts of Indian country.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/05/22/1202710/blackfeet-woman-sees-end-to-14.html

[postulater]

1. Some good news!

Thanks to Ms. Cobell for her persistence.

Those people deserve what they were promised.