Norton Denies Role in Indian Money Issue

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Interior Secretary Gale Norton denied responsibility Friday for legislation before Congress that would delay a judge's order for her department to account for money owed to American Indians.

Norton said the provision, which prohibits the department from starting the court-ordered accounting until 2005, was negotiated by the White House and congressional appropriators, with her department deliberately kept out of the loop.

"In fact, the first I saw of the appropriations committee language was after it had been adopted by the committee," said Norton.
snip>

The Senate's legal counsel has said the measure is probably unconstitutional because it tells a judge how to interpret the law. Opponents say it harms American Indians seeking justice from the government.

"Wherever it came from, there had to be a willing architect and willing implementer," said Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz. "Someone from the executive branch got with someone from the legislative branch. They can all try to wipe their fingerprints off that ... but it's an action that was horribly ill-advised."

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-indian-money,0,1784837.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Now there's a whodunit for you. No one knows who's responsible, especially not the guys in charge of EVERYTHING. And yet...it BENEFITS them greatly. A real puzzle, this is. :eyes:

[bemildred]

1. Right, just sort of popped up like a mushroom, it did.

:puke:

[Zhade]

2. Betraying The People of the Land again, I see.

Not a surprise, of course...