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Interior attorney set to testify in Cobell case
Monday, October 22, 2007
Filed Under: Cobell

Robert McCarthy, a field solicitor for the Interior Department, is set to testify for the Cobell plaintiffs in the Indian trust fund trial.

McCarthy is expected to take the stand on Tuesday. He will contradict testimony from Interior associate deputy secretary Jim Cason, according to the group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

"To the extent that the government is relying upon the credibility of Jim Cason, it is in trouble," PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch said in a press release.

McCarthy said he warned Interior about numerous problems in the handling of Indian trust accounts. "In July, an Interior audit confirmed Robert McCarthy’s charges but the agency continues to ignore repeated verifications that crippling weaknesses still exist," Ruch said.

Interior is now trying to fire McCarthy, saying he leaked confidential Indian trust data to the media. PEER is defending McCarthy as a whistle blower.

The trial into the historical accounting of the Indian trust started on October 10. It is entering its seventh day of testimony today.

Get the Story:
Press Release: INTERIOR ATTORNEY TO TESTIFY AGAINST GOVERNMENT IN COBELL CASE (PEER 10/22)

Court Decisions:
Cobell v. Norton [District Court] | Cobell v. Norton [Appeals Court] | Babbitt v. Youpee [Supreme Court]

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm

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