Reprisals Against DOE Scientists

In my previous posts on the DOE I remarked on all the DOE employees whose hair was catching on fire because the Trump Transition Team asked them if they worked on a particular program. They refused, saying it was harassment of scientists and interference with scientific freedom.

As a result, I had to laugh at the new Report of a recent Congressional Investigation entitled “U.S. Department of Energy Misconduct Related to the Low Dose Radiation Research Program, 20 December 2016” into just how the DOE harassed, tried to muzzle, and then fired one of their own scientists, Dr. Noelle Metting. Here are the findings of the Report:

 

 

Findings

DOE management developed a scheme to withhold information from congressional staff.

 

Dr. [Noelle] Metting was directed to omit information from a presentation to congressional staff given during the briefing.

 

DOE management avoided critical information pertinent to the continuance of the LDRRP .

 

DOE management worked to kill the LDRRP because it did not further the Administration’s goals to advance climate research.

 

With regard to H.R. 5544, DOE management sought to manipulate congressional staff – both republican and democratic staff.

 

DOE management and senior employees gave intentionally misleading statements to Congress.

 

Dr. Carruthers and Dr. Weatherwax both made inconsistent statements at different points during the Committee’s investigation.

 

Management quickly took steps to remove Dr. Metting from federal service.

 

Dr. Metting was removed for providing Congress with candid testimony without regard to the potential chilling effect on other scientists.

 

Dr. Metting was the DOE’s sole expert on LDRR and her opinion was silenced to further political interests.

Dang … now I understand why the DOE officials were so willing to believe that asking who worked on what project was actually an attempt to enact retribution and muzzle them.

It’s what they have been doing themselves to their own opponents. So of course they’d assume the new people would do it as well.

In any case, the Conclusions of the Committee are worth noting:

Conclusions and Recommendations

1. The DOE exhibited a complete disregard for the legislative process and Constitutional separation of powers at an institutional level.
2. The DOE must overhaul its management practices to ensure that the Department carries out its Constitutional responsibilities to be truthful with Congress and respects the legislative process.

Sure ‘nuf …

A sunny mid-day here, and I’m shirking my job of chipping out the old grout around the tub and replacing it … maybe I’ll just take a short walk out in the sunshine first … yeah, that’s the ticket …

Best of life to all,

w.

As Usual: I ask that people QUOTE THE EXACT WORDS THEY ARE REFERRING TO, so we can all understand your objections and comments.