Mediator suggests $7-9B settlement for Cobell
Friday, March 30, 2007
Filed Under:
Cobell
|
Politics
|
Trust
A settlement for the Cobell trust fund lawsuit should fall in the range of $7 billion to $9 billion, a professional mediator said on Thursday.
John Bickerman testified before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He said the Bush administration's assertion that the Cobell plaintiffs are only owed "millions" of dollars was wrong.
But he also said the figures presented by the Cobell plaintiffs are too high. A more reasonable number would fall between $7 billion and $9 billion, he testified.
That figure does not include the tribal trust cases, he noted. The Bush administration wants to settle Cobell, all tribal cases and pay for trust reform for up to $7 billion.
Bickerman was one of two mediators selected by Congress to mediate the Cobell case. The effort failed because the two parties wouldn't come to the table, he said.
Get the Story:
Cobell balks at feds' offer
(The Billings Gazette 3/30)
Indian plaintiffs voice objections to Interior trust settlement (AP 3/30)
Interior seeks to settle Indian trust fund disputes for $7 billion< (Government Executive News 3/29)
Committee Notice:
OVERSIGHT
HEARING on Indian trust fund litigation (March 29, 2007)
Settlement Letter:
Kempthorne-Gonzales to SCIA (March 1,
2007)
Elouise Cobell Statement:
NO
THANKS, WE’LL TAKE THE ACCOUNTING, INDIAN PLAINTIFFS SAY (March 8, 2007)
Sen. Dorgan Statement:
DORGAN
SAYS BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFERS $7 BILLION TO SETTLE SUIT OVER MISMANAGEMENT OF
INDIAN TRUST FUNDS (March 6, 2007)
Other Documents:
Alberto
Gonzales Testimony (March 1, 2005) |
SCIA
Views and Estimates (March 1, 2007)
Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Kempthorne -
http://www.indiantrust.comCobell
v. Norton, Department of Justice -
http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
Related Stories:
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Indian trust fund litigation (3/29)
Gonzales won't testify on trust fund
(3/28)
Supreme Court refuses Cobell
appeals (3/27)
Editorial: The
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Senate
hearing on trust fund litigation on Thursday (3/26)
The downfall of J. Steven Griles (3/26)
Blast from the Past: NBC segment on Cobell
(3/21)
Opinion: US owes Indians billions
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Mother Jones: Pennies on the
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Bush proposes
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Dorgan
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Jodi Rave: Cobell sees hope for case in new
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Editorial:
Another good shot emerges for Cobell (11/10)
Cobell says Bush kills legislative settlement
(11/9)
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bill growing (11/2)
Editorial: End
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Tribes face trust challenges from Bush
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Cobell attorney
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Staff confirms Bush behind Cobell proposals
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Bush seeks major changes to
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running out on Cobell settlement bill (10/23)
Cobell sees parallels in Aboriginal wage theft
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assailed for 'ambush' on Indian health care (10/5)
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legislation (9/15)
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settlement for Cobell (9/5)
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Cobell fights for judge in trust
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Senate committee to
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Human
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Editorial: Justice for Indian account holders
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Letter: Nearly $1B wasted on Swimmer's trust reform
(8/7)
Editorial: Stop delaying settlement
to Cobell (8/4)
McCain puts twist in
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Bush
officials asked McCain to delay Cobell settlement (8/3)
Cobell settlement bill 'dead' in Congress
(8/2)
Time running out on Cobell
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Editorial: It's
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Ross Swimmer: Interior still 'working' on trust
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Cobell issues statement on
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Cobell
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Jodi Rave: Cobell worried about settlement
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Mark Trahant: It's
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Editorial: Lamberth too honest in trust fund case
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Cooler heads sought in Indian
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Editorial: Give Kempthorne a chance on Cobell
(6/15)
Cobell files contempt charges
against Kempthorne (6/13)
Editorial:
Dirk Kempthorne arrives in Washington (6/13)
Swimmer calls Cobell settlement 'reparations'
(5/8)
Cobell: Settle Indian trust fund
case for billions (4/20)
Cobell to appear
on C-SPAN Washington Journal (4/12)
Cobell renews call for receiver as court hears case
(4/12)
Cobell vows fight to resolve
trust fund lawsuit (4/10)
Cobell plans
big showing on day of court hearing (4/4)
Jodi Rave: Tribes alarmed at trust reform
initiative (4/3)
Cobell addresses trust
fund mismanagement (3/30)
Ross Swimmer:
Indian trust not about mismanagement (3/29)
Norton denies fraud or major problem with trust
(3/29)
GAO report warns of billions in
lost oil, gas royalties (3/29)
Witness
list for hearing on Indian Trust Reform Act (3/28)
DOI trust reform meeting set for Portland, Oregon
(3/24)
Kempthorne faces hot issues at
Interior Department (3/21)
DOI pressed
for more clarity on trust initiative (3/3)
Congress urged to settle Cobell lawsuit for
billions (03/02)
Listening Lounge: Joint
hearing on Cobell v. Norton (03/01)
Interior hits the road with new trust reform
initiative (02/08)
Jodi Rave: Garcia
calls for settlement of Cobell (2/3)
Cason slashes BIA budget and blames it on Cobell
(2/3)
Tribes discuss trust reform bill,
Cobell settlement (1/31)
Commentary:
Swimmer still not telling the truth on trust (1/26)
Opinion: Indians want $12B of 'YOUR' money
(01/10)
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