For the past six months, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has held up Senate confirmation of Lyle Laverty as assistant Interior secretary for fish, wildlife and parks.
Wyden, it seems, was upset that a member of the Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Services had leaked internal documents to industry leaders who opposed some of the FWS's activities and that later showed up in lawsuits against the Department. The employee, Julie MacDonald, who had no training or experience in natural sciences also forced FWS scientists to "alter findings, often with no scientific basis".
Read on below the fold...
What sort of transgressions was MacDonald involved in?
According to a former Director of the Endangered Species program at the Department of Fish and Wildlife, McDonald "harassed, bullied, and insulted employees" of the ES program "to ignore good science" and consistently rejected staff recommendations to classify plants and animals as endangered under the Endagered Species Act.
McDonald "did not want to accept petitions to list species as endangered, and she did not want to designate critical habitats. The net effect was to minimize the Endangered Species Act (ESA), or to ensnare it in litigation where possible", and her activities included leaking documents to entities opposed to implementation of the ESA.
Wyden was holding up the nomination of Laverty until he could get an agreement from the Bush administration not to engage in similar transgressions.
Wyden's hold ended last week when Laverty was confirmed on a voice vote, called by Senator Reid while Wyden was away from DC to celebrate the birth of his twins.
Laverty's nomination was supported by Ken Salazar (D-CO) and other Senators who want to open up protected forestland to recreational use. Laverty was put into this position because he will continue the work that McDonald engaged in for the Bush administration -- to continue to threaten protected habitat and endangered species.
Species that were affected by McDonald, included the following:
California's tiger salamander
the sage grouse.
the bull trout
the southwest willow flycatcher
In short, Reid caved (once again), to the bush administration and its corporate cronies who have been relentless in undermining the oversight authority of agencies that are intended to protect the public interest.
Two years ago, he failed to stop the appointments of extremist judges. Today he has failed to protect critical habitat. Next time it will be arsenic in our water or lead in our children's toys.
Give 'em hell, Harry?
More like go to hell, Harry.
Hat tip to the comments section at Loaded Orygun