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Widespread Corruption of Endangered Species Decisions Found at Interior, GAO Reports
The House Natural Resources Committee's third hearing today in their ongoing inquiry into political interference in endangered species decisions included testimony from Lyle Laverty in his current role as an Assistant Secretary in the Interior Department. It also included testimony from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) which has been investigating corruption at the Interior. The GAO named at least four additional Interior department officials, three of whom are Bush administration appointees, who are connected to inappropriate tampering with decision to extend or deny protections to endangered species.
Here's the full GAO report summary and full report, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Endangered Species Act Decision Making.Endangered Species; US Official: Interior rulings subject to meddling
By MATTHEW DALY
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - A congressional investigator asserted Wednesday that at least four Interior Department officials may have inappropriately interfered in decisions on protection of endangered species.
The four officials -- including three Bush administration appointees -- may have put political pressure on lower-ranking employees who were deciding endangered species cases, the Government Accountability Office said.
Robin Nazzaro, a top investigator for the GAO, made the allegation at a House hearing on purported interference by Julie MacDonald, a high-ranking Interior official who resigned last year. (click here to read full article)
