CBS News is first national media to expose corruption at NOAA fisheries, but pledges made to undo corruption are already being reneged
"Unfortunately, since you (CBS) put this piece in the can, the Secretary of Commerce has reneged on his pledge to review previous fines and
- has severely limited the Special Master's scope of remedies."...
On 16 February, CBS News devoted some four minutes to an investigative piece into the scandal that should have rocked NOAA and the Obama administration last fall. Our government is driving the fishing industry into oblivion with "unduly complicated" regulations and with federal agents who are "overzealous" and prone to "abusive conduct."
The piece opened with Bill Lee, a fisherman from Rockport, MA, who has been forced out of business by the fines levied by NOAA. Mr. Lee is articulate and the photogenic background of Motif No. 1 is
- emblematic of New England.
Mr. Keteyian next spoke to Richard Burgess, another fisherman. Mr. Burgess told of being fined
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- $27,000 for a paperwork error
- treated as common criminals." Ouch!
The outrages were investigated by the Department of Congress Inspector General (IG),
The only NOAA representative on the piece was Eric Schwaab, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, not the janitor but not the boss. Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the boss of NOAA and a confirmed environmental zealot, did not appear; why not? Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Dr. Lubchenco's titular boss, did not appear; why not?
- who confirmed the fishermen's complaints.
- NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement shredded some 70-80% of his documents before the IG ever got to see them.
CBS showed a clip of Senator Grassley, who said, "I want to make sure that heads roll ... because in a bureaucracy, if heads don't roll, you don't change behavior."
- Nicely said, Senator, but no heads have rolled and apparently none will.
Nobody has been punished at all.
- There will be no change in behavior.
Mr. Keteyian concludes with a nice shot of the Scotia Boat Too, Mr. Burgess' boat, pulling in to the pier. The voice-over says, "Now a judge [sic, should be Special Master] is reviewing at least
Sounds good to me, Armen. Unfortunately, since you put this piece in the can, the Secretary of Commerce has reneged on his pledge to review previous fines and
- 31 cases of fishermen caught up in the government's net, to see if some of the fines should be returned."
- has severely limited the Special Master's scope of remedies.
Congratulations, CBS. You are the first national outlet to bring this issue before the American people. A strong, hard-hitting piece. The government of the United States,
- that is to say the American people,
The fishermen, their families, the related dockside businesses, and the American people thank you."
- from American Thinker by Mike Johnson, 2/17/11
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