It looks as if more has developed in the Mark Rey contempt of court case. It is being reported that a judge decided Friday that the Forest Service is indeed in contempt of court for not properly assessing the environmental impacts of the fire retardant ammonium phosphate by its deadline. The Forest Service had dragged its feet the whole way through court, ignoring court orders and deadlines to the point of igniting the ire of the federal judge. Official threatened with jail (link broken – i.e. registration required) in the Sacramento Bee :
Agriculture Secretary Mark Rey could be forced to wear a monitoring bracelet until the U.S. Forest Service complies with an order to evaluate the chemical, ammonium phosphate.
New Link – Judge ready to hold Forest Service in contempt The Oregonian :
“The Forest Service, throughout these proceedings, evidenced a strategy of circumventing, rather than complying with,” the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, [Judge Mollow] wrote. “The apparent pattern suggests a strategy of looking for ways to avoid the law’s mandate as opposed to looking for a means of complying with the law.”
New Link – Molloy orders feds to explain fire retardant policy The Missoulian :
Previous Post –
Bush top forestry official could be jailed for contempt of court
Call me mean-hearted or whatever you will, but anyone who’s sifted through Mark Rey’s resume knows that this former timber lobbyist appointed top forester is one of the top environmental obstructionists and public land profiteers in our government – It sort of brings a smile thinking about Larry Craig’s point man in Executive with an ankle bracelet.
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Brian Ertz
I’d have a bigger smile if the judge threw Rey into the clink, where he belongs!
I’m right there with you, but that space in my mind where hope for justice resides is so atrophied as to prevent me from entertaining that wonderful idea …
This is great news! Now, let’s move on to the Department of Interior–they’ve been contemptuous since Bush took office.
I wouldn’t miss this hearing for anything…it’s only 5 minutes from where I live.
apparently, the judge has asked Rey to be there … jerry b, maybe if you decide to go, you might take a camera and get a good picture of rey that i can crop into a mug shot for follow-up posts ?
either way … just a thought 😉
Brian….I thought about video taping the hearing…do they allow cameras in federal court?
Jerry b-
Please let us know how the hearing goes!
Sorry to rain on your parade, but they don’t allow you to bring in video cameras and tape the proceedings in federal court. Outside the building, of course, is another matter.
You gotta love it – both Mark Rey and his old boss Larry Craig both in trouble with law …
They don’t have any photos of the Top Dogs on the USDA Website?
Here’s an older article that pretty well describes the villain:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2002-12-11/news/chainsaw-politics.php
He’ll get out of it…you can mark my words here….
Mark Rey is too busy making special “easy access” rules for Rainbow Family to be concerned with protecting the environment or abiding by court decisions.