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US Settles Massive Lawsuit With Native Americans [$3.4 bil]
deutsche press via email, no link | 12/8/9

Posted on 12/08/2009 11:12:09 AM PST by NativeNewYorker

Washington (dpa) -- The United States on Tuesday agreed to pay 3.4 billion dollars to settle a long-running lawsuit brought by some 300,000 Native Americans who claimed they had been cheated out of land revenue for more than a century.

The class-action lawsuit was first brought 13 years ago and has been the subject of 22 judicial decisions. Many past attempts to settle the claims have failed.

"We are here to right a past wrong," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said at a press conference in Washington. The settlement still has to be approved by Congress and in court.

The dispute stems from an 1887 agreement that divided up much of the Indian tribal lands into small parcels that were individually owned and held in "trust" by the US government.

Native Americans claim the mismanagement of those trust accounts robbed them of billions of dollars in revenue that the government collected from leasing the parcels of land.

Under the settlement, the government agreed to pay 1.4 billion dollars directly to the 300,000 Native Americans tribal members. Another 2 billion dollars was set aside for the government to buy some of the land from its owners.


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: indians; lawsuit; momoney
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1 posted on 12/08/2009 11:12:10 AM PST by NativeNewYorker
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To: NativeNewYorker

If one really wants to see government healthcare in action, go to a reservation.


2 posted on 12/08/2009 11:13:19 AM PST by Eagle Eye (3%)
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To: NativeNewYorker

Reparations precedent.


3 posted on 12/08/2009 11:15:27 AM PST by ItsForTheChildren
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To: Eagle Eye

Also shows the hazards to a culture when there is an open borders policy.


4 posted on 12/08/2009 11:15:33 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Question authority!Who is the University of East Anglia to drive the 'Global Climate Change' agenda?)
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To: NativeNewYorker

Under the settlement, the government agreed to pay 1.4 billion dollars of taxpayers money to the 300,000 Native Americans tribal members. Another 2 billion dollars was set aside for the government to buy some of the land from its owners......fixed it.


5 posted on 12/08/2009 11:16:12 AM PST by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: ItsForTheChildren
1.4 billion dollars directly to the 300,000 Native Americans tribal members. Another 2 billion dollars was set aside for the government to buy some of the land from its owners.

And the money isn't going to the litigants as much as it is going to other interests.

6 posted on 12/08/2009 11:16:26 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Question authority!Who is the University of East Anglia to drive the 'Global Climate Change' agenda?)
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To: NativeNewYorker

Next step:

Reparations to descendants of former slaves... including Michelle.


7 posted on 12/08/2009 11:17:53 AM PST by reagandemocrat
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To: NativeNewYorker

Just another good reason to

STOP GOING TO THEIR CASINOS!!!!!!!!!


8 posted on 12/08/2009 11:18:55 AM PST by scoobysnak71
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To: ItsForTheChildren

dittos


9 posted on 12/08/2009 11:20:06 AM PST by Tarpon (To destroy the people's liberties, you poison their morals ...)
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To: NativeNewYorker

$3.4 billion divided by 300,000 tribal members equals $11,333 per person. But since “only” $1.4 billion is being “paid directly” to the tribal members, that means each person will get $4,667 (and that’s assuming the attorney’s cut is paid separately instead of taken out of the proceeds).


10 posted on 12/08/2009 11:20:55 AM PST by VRWCmember
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To: ItsForTheChildren

Heck no! The BIA has stolen from the Indians forever.


11 posted on 12/08/2009 11:22:20 AM PST by RobbyS (Pray with the suffering souls.)
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To: NativeNewYorker

Wow, 3.4 billion will buy a LOT of fire water...


12 posted on 12/08/2009 11:25:11 AM PST by Nervous Tick (Stop dissing drunken sailors! At least they spend their OWN money.)
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To: NativeNewYorker

payment for shutting down their mail order cigarette business


13 posted on 12/08/2009 11:26:38 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: VRWCmember

and that’s assuming the attorney’s cut is paid separately instead of taken out of the proceeds

... Dances with Counsel
Chief Contingency
He Who Chases Ambulance


14 posted on 12/08/2009 11:27:04 AM PST by Gunflint
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To: ItsForTheChildren

(Dang—You beat me on the whole reparations thing.)


15 posted on 12/08/2009 11:27:58 AM PST by reagandemocrat
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To: AngelesCrestHighway

Might need another fix. The BIA collected billions for mineral rights and couldn’t be bothered to keep the records as to whom the money was owed, with a Clinton appoitee basically telling the court that the rats ate the records, so that was the end of that. This settlement is about a half billion short of what the feds owe with basic interest. Oh, and the money to by back land is parcels that the feds just can’t figure out anymore from their odd land splitting formulas.


16 posted on 12/08/2009 11:31:45 AM PST by kingu (Party for rent - conservative opinions not required.)
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To: ItsForTheChildren

I think Clinton set that precedent paying the Japanese for the relocation camps during WWII, as well as some Pacific Islanders (another group is in my recollection too).


17 posted on 12/08/2009 11:33:44 AM PST by K-oneTexas (I'm not a judge and there ain't enough of me to be a jury. (Zell Miller, A National Party No More))
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To: NativeNewYorker

I don’t know the particulars but I’m sure the 0bama administration caved in completely. Gave the Indians 100% where 60% would have been fair and acceptable

It’s only taxpayer money so give it way tgo buy votes
This is reparations


18 posted on 12/08/2009 11:34:36 AM PST by dennisw
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To: NativeNewYorker

Heapum shakedown, ug


19 posted on 12/08/2009 11:36:16 AM PST by Pajama Blogger (Pajama Power)
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To: kingu
‘zackly. This is not the end of this story. American Indians will never get what's due them, therefor an unlimited number of trial lawyers in future years will determine there was fraud somewhere in this settlement and the shakedown will go on.
20 posted on 12/08/2009 11:37:22 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (Impeachment !)
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