This situation is one where the federales said they'd reimburse the tribes and then didn't.
Theft is theft Migraine.
In that Clarence Thomas voted to sustain this ruling, you are probably right on this one.
However, as a generalization, the tribal financial fiascos in this country are legendary. It amounts to a black hole where money goes and never sees the light of day.
I don’t want to get into treaty violations and other shenanigans from the past. It seems to me the reservations should have been divided up among tribal members 50 years ago, sold off, and allowed to become private property. The rezzes are just like little Gaza’s.
From my local paper (The White Mountain Independent) just today, case in point.
Investigator: Tribe’s housing authority rife with corruption
Story
Posted: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 5:00 am | Updated: 7:23 am, Tue Jun 19, 2012.
David Roberts - The Independent
“The amount of money taken from the White Mountain Apache Tribe was well over a half million dollars,” said Investigator William Rucker. “When you talk about prosecuting … you’re talking about $750,000 when it’s all over.”
Rucker was discussing his investigation and upcoming fraud and/or embezzlement prosecutions of five or six people recently associated with the White Mountain Apache Housing Authority.
“The housing authority is here to help tribal members provide shelter for their families.
“It takes years on the waiting list. Now because of this many children will go without homes … maybe thousands!”
Rucker was outraged at the crimes he believes he has unearthed at the authority.
Similar story is a recurrent theme 4-5 times per year, going back as long as I can remember.
I have no use for the BIA or the Interior Dept, either. But Indian reservations suck.