EPA Tells Staffers Not To Talk To Congress

[flashl]

By Daniel W. Reilly

CBS News
Jul 28, 2008

(The Politico) The Environmental Protection Agency is advising certain staff members not to talk to congressional investigators, reporters or even the agency's inspector general, according to an internal email obtained by the Associated Press.

The email, dated June 16, tells 11 officials in the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance to remind its staff to not respond to questions or make any statements, according to an AP story Monday afternoon.

The agency has been locked in a battle for months with congressional Democrats over the Bush administration's policy regulating greenhouse gasses.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer insists that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson had informed President Bush that high levels of man-made pollutants were causing global warming, which by law would have required that the government regulate the gases.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. What?! Covering their asses in a republican administration?!

I'll never believe it.

[jimshoes]

2. Who's country is this anyway?

Are we now a private concern, run by a secretive board of directors serving their stockholders? Do I have a proxy vote in this or is it all a hoax perpetrated on the citizens by the CEO's of the world?

[flashl]

4. You tell me. Who is seeking to trademark SLAC?

Stanford physics lab embroiled in naming spat

David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor

(07-27) 19:13 PDT -- Stanford's famed high-energy physics laboratory is in a tussle with the U.S. Department of Energy over naming rights to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, better known as SLAC.

The Energy Department, which pays SLAC's annual $300 million bill, wants to rename the lab to reflect changes in the direction of research since the facility opened 46 years ago.

On top of that, Energy Department officials have filed an application to trademark whatever new name the lab is finally given so no one else can use it.

University officials oppose any copyright plan with the Stanford name in it, and many SLAC scientists oppose any name change at all. Protest petitions at the lab have been circulating for weeks.

One eminent physicist, who asked to remain anonymous because he didn't want his name entangled in a political brouhaha, called the renaming issue "bizarre, petty and even stupid."

[Trillo]

3. How's that advice work out for the common person?

Refuse to speak to your boss? My guess is that doesn't work too well for one's continued employment.

Congress pays all government bills. The boss pays the bills.

[freethought]

5. Subpoena the bastards!

If they refuse, break out the contempt-of-congress card and frog walk the p____s into congressional chambers.

How is that even f_____g possible? Never mind, I just remembered what kind of admin is squatting in the White House.

[Muttocracy]

6. kick