Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Christie Whitman: truth or judicial consequences

(Photo: Mark Wilson/
Getty Images)

The N.Y. Daily News reported on Tuesday that a Justice department lawyer defending former Environmental Protection Agency head Christie Whitman against claims by lower Manhattan residents that she "lied about air quality after the 9/11 attacks and should have to pay for medical monitoring and a cleanup" "warned the appeals panel that if Whitman can be held personally responsible, public officials will remain mum after future disasters."

Now let me get this straight. If Whitman lied (presumably at the behest of her bosses in the Bush administration), making her take responsibility for this action which may have endangered the health of lower Manhattan residents, government officials will in the future opt "to say nothing."

So, if we hold government officials responsible for what they say in the future they will shut up when they are about to lie or don't know what they are talking about, that would be a bad thing. OK, then.

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