Ex-Interior Exec Hit for Deleting Records (More Clinton Corruption)

Associated Press ^ | Mon, Jan 27, 2003 | ROBERT GEHRKE

[John Lenin]

WASHINGTON - The former head of Indian affairs at the Interior Department broke federal law by deleting months of records related to a lawsuit alleging the government lost billions of dollars in American Indians' money, a court-appointed investigator said Monday.

In a deposition under oath last December, then-Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Neal McCaleb said he didn't know he was supposed to be storing copies of his e-mail and he thought his assistant was doing it.

But court-appointed special master Alan Balaran said McCaleb's story is unbelievable, citing numerous written directives and pair of meetings in which McCaleb was instructed by Interior official to keep the electronic correspondence.

"What began as an inquiry into a possible error in judgment resulted in the discovery that the most senior official of the Bureau of Indian Affairs ... violated court orders and federal law by destroying individual Indian trust records with impunity," Balaran wrote.

The documents in question relate to a 6-year-old class-action lawsuit on behalf of 350,000 Indian landowners which claims the government mismanaged as much as $137 billion in oil, gas and timber royalties from Indian land since 1887.

The documents include daily spread sheets indicating payments from oil, gas and timber leases.

In response to the report, Interior Department spokesman Dan DuBray referred to a statement McCaleb made last October that the e-mail deletions were a mistake, and that McCaleb notified the court as soon as they came to his attention.

The Interior Department has all along disputed the $137 billion figure, but also has acknowledged mishandling of Indian claims and records over the years.

Balaran filed his report with U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, who is presiding over the case. Last September, Lamberth held McCaleb and Interior Secretary Gale Norton in contempt of court for failing to comply with his order to fix the trust management accounts.

McCaleb retired from the Interior Department at the end of last year, saying he took Lamberth's contempt citation personally and was hurt by it.

In addition to scolding McCaleb, Balaran also criticized McCaleb's deputy and interim replacement, Aurene Martin, for helping McCaleb craft a story to explain the deletion.

"When his actions came to light, he fabricated a story that attempted to blame others for his misdeeds," Balaran charged. "Simply stated, McCaleb proved to be as complacent with the truth as he was with his fiduciary responsibilities" to manage the Indian money.

Dennis Gingold, the attorney for the Indian plaintiffs, said that the investigation confirmed that McCaleb "knowingly destroyed federal records."

"That is a crime." said Gingold. In addition, he said that McCaleb lied under oath, both in his deposition and in an affidavit he signed.

___

On the Net:

Indian Plaintiffs: http://www.indiantrust.com

[John Lenin]

The article was posted on Yahoo within the hour and it is 7 headlines down from he top under AP Politics News. Bascially unseen by millions of Yahoo users who have the standard 3 top headlines as their default settings. If this was a story about a GOP group it would be in the #1 position. The Liberal Media makes me ill.

[JennysCool]

Clinton-era appointees in both Interior and Agriculture need to be de-fanged -- particularly the East Coasters who, finding little to satisfy their eco-egos in their own bailiwicks, came out West and raised havoc -- and then received promotions and pay raises for it. Disgraceful for a government "by the people." Enough is enough.

[The Duke]

"That is a crime." said Gingold. In addition, he said that McCaleb lied under oath, both in his deposition and in an affidavit he signed

So, when does somebody go to jail?

[exit82]

The Bureau of Indian Affairs was slated by the Clinton gang as an easy source of funds--for furthering their political power.

Now billions of dollars are "missing".Remember the fire at the warehouse involving records of the Bureau?

But, not to fear, I'm sure the Indians will soon name Bill Clinton the first Indian President.

He becomes the President of everyone he screws.

[MamaLucci]

McCaleb's a Bush appointee

[gov_bean_ counter]

O.K. All you Army record keeping types, pull out your MARKs books.

All records related to the Bureau of Indian Affairs must be kept until they rot. It is a Federal crime to destroy any official records dealing with this subject.

[timestax]

So, when does somebody go to jail? 3 posted on 01/27/2003 8:54 PM PST by The Duke [ Post Reply

DITTO !

[John Lenin]

I thought I could pin this on Bubba. I remember hearing about this case years ago, the indians claiming they never got royalties, and just assumed McCaleb was a Clinton appointee. I guess the guy was just covering tracks for his old pals.

[MamaLucci]

I guess the guy was just covering tracks for his old pals.

Or somebody got to him. Lots of clinton holdovers at Interior, I'd bet.

[okie01]

Turns out McCaleb is not only a GOPer and a Bush appointee, he's an Okie and a graduate of Okie State University.

A real embarrassment to my good name...

[steve50]

So, when does somebody go to jail?

If you're starting a pool put me down for never.

[Pagey]

"The documents in question relate to a 6-year-old class-action lawsuit on behalf of 350,000 Indian landowners which claims the government mismanaged as much as $137 billion in oil, gas and timber royalties from Indian land since 1887...."

Does anyone else remember #42's scunk of a Sec. Of The Interior, who lied,threw away,Mis-stored and burned files relating to the Indians.His name was Bruce "I'm walking out of this 60 Minutes Interview because it's too touchy" Babbitt and I don't think anyone ever was charged officially.They just kept procrastinating and obfuscating the facts and those were Gov't Lawyers too.Royce Lamberth was also the one who finally called them on it back in the mid-90's, though I'll bet no one got fired.

[Pagey]

"The documents in question relate to a 6-year-old class-action lawsuit on behalf of 350,000 Indian landowners which claims the government mismanaged as much as $137 billion in oil, gas and timber royalties from Indian land since 1887...."

Does anyone else remember #42's SKUNK ( OOPS! Proof Read why don't you?) of a Sec. Of The Interior, who lied,threw away,Mis-stored and burned files relating to the Indians.His name was Bruce "I'm walking out of this 60 Minutes Interview because it's too touchy" Babbitt and I don't think anyone ever was charged officially.They just kept procrastinating and obfuscating the facts and those were Gov't Lawyers too.Royce Lamberth was also the one who finally called them on it back in the mid-90's, though I'll bet no one got fired.

[oldironsides]

When will they get to the case involving Carol Browner and her nuking all the computer information under subpoena by the courts at EPA? She claimed not to know about it and left the agency when Clinton left. I am hoping the judge will get around to her disregard for the law.

[the_doc]

Wasn't there also a suspicious fire which destroyed Indian Affairs records in the National Archives?

[XHogPilot]

Will someone please ping me when one of these bastards goes to jail?