Abramoff and gaming Indians: Just the tip of the iceberg

drm604

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Feb-02-06 06:28 AM
Original message

Abramoff and gaming Indians: Just the tip of the iceberg

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/1/195344/1903

Abramoff and gaming Indians: Just the tip of the iceberg
by mbw
Wed Feb 01, 2006 at 11:43:10 PM PDT

(From the diaries -- kos)

For a couple of weeks now, I've been writing about what I've come to view as the much bigger scandal involving everyone from Jack Abramoff to Gale Norton to Richard Pombo to Grover Norquist, and generally every major Republican in between. It too has to do with Indians, but not only those with gaming operations. In fact, the real actors in this drama are the poorest of Indians, mostly in the West and Plains.

<snip>

The front-burner issue in the Interior Department during this Administration has been the foot-dragging, subverting and outright sabotaging of the largest class action case in US history, Cobell v. Norton. Norton was even slapped with a contempt charge by Judge Royce Lamberth for her part in the matter. Clinton Sec. Bruce Babbitt was also charged with contempt, but the plaintiffs in Cobell assert that while Clinton's people were just incompetent and trying to drag out the clock so they could hand off the problem, Norton has been downright hostile to settling the case, willing to use extreme measures to subvert the court ordered judgment.

<snip>

A large chunk of those federal lands are Indian Trust Fund lands, taken into trust in the late 1800s via the Dawes Act, and leased out to industries, ranchers and farmers at cut-rate prices. The money was then to be managed by Interior and paid out to native landowners. Of course, that didn't happen - hence Cobell v. Norton.

<snip>

The courts have ordered a full accounting of the Trust. Problem is, many of the documents were destroyed, including a slew of them under Norton. So the plaintiffs decided a few years back that the only way to get a real accounting is to audit the industries' books. That's what makes everyone so nervous, as plaintiff experts, having done some sampling, estimate we're talking over $150 billion in underpayments and fraud, along with interest, of course. Yes, $150 BILLION. And the pressure would be huge for Congress to force a repayment by the guilty. If not, then it comes out of the taxpayers' pockets, as the courts have already ordered the accounts be properly audited and brought up to date. Hence, the concern of the oil/gas, mining, ranching, forestry and agriculture interests which use/abuse the land lease process.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/1/195344/1903

Folks this looks to me like a big story, possibly THE big story. Follow the link above and read the whole thing. Kick and recommend this thread. This could be a large part of why they've been so desperate to gain and maintain power through any means. This NEEDS to get high visibility.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/1/195344/1903