Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Hypocrisy watch
Why God doesn't answer certain people's prayers...
The warning
Just as the Senate committee overseeing FDA was about to vote to send acting commissioner Lester Crawford’s nomination to the floor in April, an allegation of an affair and improper use of government funds stopped it in its tracks. The anonymous written allegation purportedly involves Crawford’s special assistant, Susan Bond. Committee chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) told reporters about the letter he received on the eve of the vote. The letter was poorly spelled, smudged, and badly written, and Enzi said he had dismissed its charges, which he declined to describe.
The hypocrisy:
Pray for Dr. Lester M. Crawford, newly confirmed head of the Food and Drug Administration, asking God to guide him and his team following the lengthy confirmation process. Pray for wisdom as they work to keep America's food and drug supply safe for all Americans.
The reality:
The Associated Press/WASHINGTON
By ANDREW BRIDGES
Ex-FDA chief to strike plea agreement
OCT. 17 11:58 A.M. ET As head of the Food and Drug Administration, Lester Crawford oversaw a federal agency that regulates products that account for an estimated 25 cents of every dollar spent each year by U.S. consumers.
At the same time, Crawford, through his broker, oversaw an investment portfolio that included tens of thousands of dollars in shares in food, beverage and medical device companies [e.g., Pepsico Inc., Sysco Corp., Kimberly-Clark Corp., Wal-Mart Stores Inc.] regulated by the very federal agency he ran.
Crawford knew what he and his wife owned, but still failed to fully disclose that information as required by federal law, the Justice Department said in court papers charging him with filing false financial disclosure forms and conflict of interest. In some cases, Crawford even assured federal ethics officers that he and his wife had sold stock in FDA-regulated companies that the couple in fact continued to hold, according to the papers.
Because of that, the former FDA commissioner was set to plead guilty Tuesday to the two misdemeanor counts, said his attorney, Barbara Van Gelder. She said Crawford would not dispute the federal government's claims under the plea agreement.
A fine is likely, though the two counts each carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison.
Did he sleep with Susan Bond?
Did he misuse government funds?
I don't know.
But Enzi rammed through a nominee about whom there were many questions, not just these. The White House slapped a coat of Holy Ghost sanctimonious paint on Crawford and put him in charge of 25 cents out of every consumer dollar. The industry has been wracked with scandal ever since, and Crawford ends up convicted of crimes far more substantial than the false statemenst charge Henry Cisneros was persecuted for.
Every one of the Republican leaders are hypocritical and corrupt.
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