Report: USDA Only Pretended to Do Probes

[Eugene]

Report: USDA Only Pretended to Do Probes


Wednesday January 18, 2006 11:47 PM

By LIBBY QUAID

AP Food and Farm Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Agriculture Department has pretended to investigate anticompetitive behavior
among stockyards and meat companies since 1999, but in hundreds of cases hasn't actually filed
complaints, says an audit released Wednesday.

Senior officials blocked investigations from being referred to department lawyers, who can file
complaints or refer cases to the Justice Department, according to the audit by the agency's inspector
general.

In the meantime, employees were told to create the appearance of a high rate of enforcement
by logging routine letters and reviews of public data as investigations, the inspector general
said.

<snip>

As of last August, 50 investigations were being held up by deputy administrator JoAnn Waterfield,
who had final say over sending cases to department lawyers. Waterfield quit abruptly last month
without giving a reason.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-5555253,00.html

[katsy]

1. Our taxes at work...

worthless phucking government.

[NanceGreggs]

2. HHmmmm ....

"Waterfield quit abruptly last month without giving a reason."

What's the matter, JoAnn? "I want to spend more time with my family," seems a little too over-played, does it?

[quaoar]

3. I would say I'm shocked

But this is par for the course in the Worst Administration in American History.

[Julius Civitatus]

4. Does ANY federal department work under Bush? Any?

They really are turning Grover Norquist's dreams true!

[phoebe]

5. so, of course mad cow has not been investigated properly either

amongst a thousand other things..politicians are the sleaziest scumbags known to man..

[cosmicdot]

6. so, what exactly didn't happen from 1999 to 2001?

is 1999 used to compare and contrast enforcement, or to implicate 'the Clenis'?


"...employees were told to create the appearance of a high rate of enforcement..."

by whom?

"...top officials were blocking investigations 'and then cooking the books to cover up the agency's lack of enforcement'."

which top officials?

"While anticompetitive complaints have not been initiated since 1999...There were 104 financial or trade cases referred to department lawyers from 2003 through 2005. There have been three more since Jan. 1..."

sounds like much of this has been on you're doing a heckuva job Ann 'Monsanto' Veneman/Mike Johanns/Bu$h's watch


some additional 'details' would be nice

article found on Tom Harkin's website
http://harkin.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=250469

[central scrutinizer]

7. Doing a heckuva job

another agency has been FEMA-ized

[Angry Girl]

8. And where are the American reporters on this? Hello?

*crickets chirping*

As usual, our pretend-reporters not covering our pretend-government.