Wednesday, April 07, 2004

Special Master Quits Indian Trust Case; Charges Cover-Up   Information access and integrity remained a key unresolved issue after the angry resignation of Special Master Alan Balaran from the long-simmering mega-lawsuit over mismanagement of Indian Trust Funds.   In a resignation letter dated April 5, 2004, Balaran charged that Interior Department officials had destroyed evidence he had uncovered showing that the agency had charged oil and gas companies less for use of Indian lands than for use of other lands. Soon after he reported that practice, Balaran said Justice Department officials ordered him to leave an Interior Department file repository in Dallas, despite the fact that he had been appointed by a federal judge to audit records there. Interior has denied the charges and called for Balaran's removal.   -- "Interior Dept. Is Denounced; Investigator of Indian Funds Resigns, Alleges Obstruction,"  Washington Post, April 7, 2004, by Carol D. Leonnig.   -- "Indian Fund Investigator Angrily Quits," New York Times, April 7, 2004, by John Files.   11:03:51 AM

Info Access May Stall EPA Nominations in Senate   Senate confirmation of nominees for several top EPA posts may be stalled by Environment Committee Democrats frustrated over agency unresponsiveness to their information requests.   Environmental Protection Agency nominations at stake include Stephen Johnson for deputy administrator, Ann Klee for general counsel, Charles Johnson for chief financial officer, and Ben Grumbles to head the water office.   EPA has told Environment Committee members, who have legal oversight authority over the agency, that they deserve no more access to EPA documents than the general public is allowed under the Freedom of Information Act. EPA has refused to provide documents on the grounds that they are exempt from FOIA (largely because it claims they are pre-decisional deliberative documents). Full story. 1:59:08 AM