 THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE U.S. TRUSTEE David C. Farmer, Successor Trustee (Formerly Mary Lou Woo vs. Harmon and James Nicholson vs. Harmon) CV05-00030 DAE/KSC United States District Court, District of Hawaii Judges: David A. Ezra; Kevin S. Chang ~ ~ ~ DEFENDANT’S WITNESS GALE NORTON Department of the Interior Gale Norton was the former U.S. Secretary of the Interior under President George W. Bush.  The appointment of Gale Norton as Secretary of the Interior ignores her scandalous record: looking the other way in the face of damaging pollution, dragging her feet on prosecuting big business, even challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to override state law * * * & * * * Former Interior Secretary Gale Norton is focus of corruption probe The Justice Department investigation centers on a 2006 decision to award oil shale leases in Colorado to a Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary. Months later, the oil giant hired Norton as a legal counsel. Jim Tankersley and Josh Meyer, Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is investigating whether former Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton illegally used her position to benefit Royal Dutch Shell PLC, the company that later hired her, according to officials in federal law enforcement and the Interior Department. The criminal investigation centers on the Interior Department's 2006 decision to award three lucrative oil shale leases on federal land in Colorado to a Shell subsidiary. Over the years it would take to extract the oil, according to calculations from Shell and a Rand Corp. expert, the deal could net the company hundreds of billions of dollars. The investigation's main focus is whether Norton violated a law that prohibits federal employees from discussing employment with a company if they are involved in dealings with the government that could benefit the firm, law enforcement and Interior officials said. They said investigators also were trying to determine if Norton broke a broader federal "denial of honest services" law, which says a government official can be prosecuted for violating the public trust by, for example, steering government business to favored firms or friends. The Interior Department's Office of Inspector General began the investigation during the waning months of the George W. Bush administration and more recently made a formal criminal referral to the Justice Department. Norton is the first Bush official at the Cabinet secretary level to be the subject of a formal political corruption investigation. Shell spokeswoman Kelly C. op de Weegh declined to comment on behalf of both the company and Norton, who did not respond to numerous calls. "Shell has not received an official notification with regard to a government investigation. Consequently, we are not in a position to comment at this time," she said. The Justice and Interior departments also would not comment. Interior Department investigators referred the case to the Justice Department after concluding that there was sufficient evidence of potential illegal conduct, according to federal law enforcement and Interior officials. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive and confidential nature of the case. Those officials said the referral was based on an already comprehensive Interior Department investigation that included interviews with numerous Interior employees. The Justice Department has assigned prosecutors from its public integrity section and the U.S. attorney's office in Washington to the case. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/sep/17/nation/na-norton17 ~ ~ ~
From Cradle to Cabal The Secret Life of Gale Norton Gale Norton Bush Coverup Cronie ~ ~ ~ Bush’s Corporate Cabinet: Gale Norton Enters office from Brownstein Hyatt & Farber, P.C., a Denver-based law firm. Colorado attorney general from 1991 to 1999. Worked at the Mountain States Legal Foundation under James Watt from 1979 to 1983. The right-wing law firm is funded by Amoco, Chevron Exxon, Ford and Phillips 66. Champion of “free-market” environmental policies, corporate environmental self-audits and (during confirmation hearings) drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In the course of her career, she has challenged basic environmental laws including the Endangered Species Act, the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act and clean air legislation as unconstitutional. Suggested in 1991 that property owners have a "right to pollute." National chair of the Coalition for Republican Environmental Advocates, whose steering committee includes lobbyists for the mining, auto and oil industries and which is funded by American Forest Paper Association, ARCO, American Chemistry Council and Ford. Lobbied for NL Industries of Houston (formerly National Lead Co.), a lead paint manufacturer named as a potentially responsible party in connection with 75 Superfund sites. Other clients include: Coors Brewing, Deytel, Global Crossing, First Colorado Depository, National Cable Television Association, New Century Energies, Tempus Resorts International, APCO Worldwide and the Alaska Legislative Council. Assets: Wells Fargo Bank Investment Account ($100,000 to $250,000). Boards: Independence Institute; Defenders of Property Rights. Subappointments: Steven Griles, deputy secretary of interior. Former lobbyist. Clients included the National Mining Association, Occidental Petroleum, Edison Electric Institute, Coalbed Methane Ad Hoc Committee, the Aluminum Association, Energy Corp. of America, Horsehead Resource Development Corp., Integrated Waste Services Association, Pennsylvania Power & Light, Reilly Industries and Tempico. http://multinationalmonitor.org/mm2001/01may/may01bushcc.html * * * * * NEW DISCOVERY (07/24/09): More undisclosed relationships between David Farmer, Steven Guttman, Robin Campaniano, Rey Graulty, Wayne Metcalf, Linda Lingle, James Nicholson, Jim Nicholson, Phillip Winn, John Waihee, Barack Obama, George Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Norm Brownstein, Larry Mizel, Leonard Millman, Gale Norton, Robert Rubin, Henry Paulson, The Nature Conservancy, Goldman Sachs, Chubb Group, AIG, HUD, AIPAC, HonFed, Investors Equity Insurance Co., etc. * * * * * CONTINUED AT... http://www.kycbs.net/CV05-00030-Witness-Norton-Gale.htm ~ o ~
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