'Gag Order'

Simply trying to have ALL information come from ONE source -- that's the only way to run any business or organization - if you have 20 people making comments everything becomes confused --- this is how businesses and organizations have run for many years. This is not a story, it's a way to run a large organization efficiently.

01/20/2009
Memo to Stephen Johnson:
Take a hike. Don't come back until you receive notice of your indictment.
-President Obama

Another federal agency RUINED by the Bush Administration and the GOP. The list grows longer: Defense Department (Halliburton, anyone?), the Justice Department (Goodling, Sampson, et. al.), F.E.M.A ("Heck of a Job" Brownie), the EPA... Top that off with a weakening of the US Constitution, Separation of Powers, an attempt to dismantle Habeus Corpus and the picture becomes quite clear. The Bush Administration came not to run the Government, but to destroy it.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The systematic dismantling by the Bush administration of the checks and balances that distinguish a secular democracy from a theological Plutocratic state are almost complete.

just another example of the most corrupt government in the history of this countrry.

Simply trying to have ALL information come from ONE source -- that's the only way to run any business or organization - if you have 20 people making comments everything becomes confused --- this is how businesses and organizations have run for many years. This is not a story, it's a way to run a large organization efficiently.

This is not a business, this is your government. Your poor attempt to dismiss the criminality and obfuscation is scary. You do want a clean government, don't you?

The EPA does not want the public to know
how much control over ever industry it will have if the current bill from the EPA is passed. If the public were to find out it would kill the bill. The amount of illegal actions the EPA is taking were to be exposed, heads would roll

So are they gonna get away with this. Or is this ink going to waste and should be used to write checks to the political candidates who promise change?

Xianstudio is right, but only in a general sense. The problem here is that the Bush administration has gamed the system every way possible. Take today's Justice Department partisan hiring practice revelations (well not exactly a surprise) as the latest example. Nixon was a choir boy compared to these folks.

"If you are contacted directly by the IG's office or GAO requesting information of any kind, please forward their call or email...." says the memo. "Please do not respond to questions or make any statements."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but this has ALWAYS been the policy at EPA. I worked there from 1983 to 1991. Lower level staff certainly prepare responses to the GAO, Congressional Inquiries, citizen complaints, etc., but the official responses are approved and signed by only the appropriate, designated official. This "non-story" is pure BDS.

Another day, another 5 or 6 scandals...

Does Bush administer anything that is not corrupt?

This is another example of the media misconstruing a policy letter. It is general policy in any government agency, and in corporate entities to insist that individuals go through the chain-of-command before trying to answer any questions relating to oversight. This isn't an attempt to "hide" information or to "gag" employees. This is normal corporate and government agency policy in place anywhere in the world. The boss always wants to provide answers. From Boeing to Starbucks, individual employees not in management positions don't answer questions from either the media or even higher management. The boss always answers any questions. Hogwash story, the reporter is making "news". And I'm no Bush fan...but Bush doesn't make agency policy where inspections are concerned. Why is everything directly his "fault"... this is just the equivalent of "bomb throwing"... get real, grow up. Get Bush on what he "really" does... there's enough to choose from... this incomprehensible rant/chant doesn't help anyone. Next year, it'll be the "evil Obama" administration... Geez!!! This kind of stuff is so yawn inspiring! Tired crappola!

Xianstudio, this is about the IG and GAO … cops. You might be able to defer to PR people to the press, but not to the cops.

This and the DOJ details should be tacked onto Bush's impeachment motion.

EPA has a history of both unduly protecting businesses and persecuting businesses.

Like with any government agency, question it. Also, do some research for yourself before you accept what they tell you.

Karin:

"It is general policy in any government agency, "

That is false. Concerning the press, yes. Concerning the IG and GAO, NO!!!

Whatever happened to honesty in government George Bush promised? I guess he ment dishonesty because it's so pervasive in the most corrupt/criminal administration ever!

Dennis -

You are mistaken. Prohibiting government employees from answer questions from the Inspector General's office has not been Standard Operating Procedure and almost certainly violates the governing statutory framework. It would be like forbidding a private company's employees from answering questions from the police who are investigating management.

That "policy letter" is a lot more than controlling the flow of information to the public; it is about covering up crimes and other misconduct.

To instruct employees to ignore the IG and GAO is wrong. The GAO was set up by the will of the people and to obstruct the job of the GAO is criminal. The people who think it is O.K. to not directly respond to the IG or GAO are the problem with our system. I guess accountability and the law are optional for many Americans. Very few have the courage to stand up to the injustice in an organization and most sell out because it is in a "policy letter". This is not how you run a business or large organization; this is how you run a dictatorship. Even Microsoft, Exxon and GE have shareholders to account to. Transparence is the hallmark of America, but not for the Government. For those that are confused; acts of congress supersed any directive from the head of a business or governmental agency. It's ashamed the number of people who shrug there constitutional responsible because some lawyer writes a policy letter.

Beenthere:

"Prohibiting government employees from answer questions from the Inspector General's office has not been Standard Operating Procedure and almost certainly violates the governing statutory framework."

That is what I said. We are in agreement.