On top of the confirmation of the politicalization of the Dept. of Justice, a recent news story is showing that BushCo also sent an email to EPA employees instructing them to keep their mouths shut and refer all inquiries to specific individuals. This included inquiries by the inspector general.
And stongly worded comments have ome from Senator Leahy, of course!
More on this developing story over the jump.
First reported by AP and now being picked up elsewhere, here are three key paragraphs from the original article:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is telling its pollution enforcement officials not to talk with congressional investigators, reporters and even the agency's own inspector general, according to an internal e-mail provided to The Associated Press.
The June 16 message instructs 11 managers in the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, the branch of the agency charged with making sure environmental laws are followed, to remind their staff members to keep quiet.
"If you are contacted directly by the IG's office or GAO requesting information of any kind ... please do not respond to questions or make any statements," reads the e-mail sent by Robbi Farrell, the division's chief of staff. Instead, staff members should forward inquiries to a designated EPA representative, the memo says.
That is rather stunning. Or rather it would be if we did not know so much by now about how BushCo operates.
The complete email:
Robbi Farrell/DC/USEPA
US 0616/2008 11:22 AM
To
Betsy Smidinger/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Christopher Knopes/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
David Hindin/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
James Edward/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Karin Koslow/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Kenneth Gigliello/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Linda Flick/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Lorna Washington/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Michael Alushin/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Richard Colbert/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
Robert Mcnally/DC/USEPA/US@EPA
cc
Lisa Lund/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
David Hindin/DC/USEPA/US@EPA,
David Piantanida/DC/USEPA/US@EPA
Subject PLEASE REMIND STAFF re: RESPONDING TO GAO, IG AND PRESS
Please remind your staff at your next staff meeting of the following policies and procedures.
- If you are contacted by a reporter, please forward the call or email to Laura Gentile and Roxanne Smith, cc Robbi. Please do not respond to questions or make any statements.
- If you are contacted directly by the IG's office or GAO requesting information of any kind, please forward their call or email to Gwen Spriggs, cc Robbi. Please do not respond to questions or make any statements.
Thanks very much for your continued attention to these important procedures.
Robbi
Senator Leahy, who has been railing about BushCo dealings in many other areas, noted wryly that "I hope this e-mail is not akin to the wide range of tactics this administration has used to thwart accountability."
Good luck on that, Senator!