Shocker : Obama Puts Lawyer for Polluters in Charge of DOJ Environmental Enforcement

Yet more corporate shuttle politics in Obama-land :

Obama Nominates Superfund Polluter Lawyer To Run DOJ Environment Division

President Barack Obama has nominated a lawyer for the nation’s largest toxic polluters to run the enforcement of the nation’s environmental laws. On Tuesday, Obama “announced his intent to nominate” Ignacia S. Moreno to be Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division in the Department of Justice. Moreno, general counsel for that department during the Clinton administration, is now the corporate environmental counsel for General Electric, “America’s #1 Superfund Polluter“:
Number five in the Fortune 500 with revenues of $89.3 billion and earnings of $8.2 billion in 1997, General Electric has been a leader in the effort to roll back the Superfund law and stave off any requirements for full cleanup and restoration of sites they helped create.

This February, General Electric lost an eight-year battle to “prove that parts of the Superfund law are unconstitutional.” One of the 600-person DOJ environmental division’s “primary responsibilities is to enforce federal civil and criminal environmental laws such as” the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Superfund.

I am sure there are plenty of apologies and rationalizations in the waiting for this move.

Ya know :

"Oh, Obama's being brilliant as ever. Who would know better how to go after polluters than one of their former lawyers...." [*cue unicorn running by in the background*]

Comments

Anonymous said…

"... cue unicorn..."

This is what my tortured mind envisions:

http://www.rightwingnews.com/graphics/obama_unicorn_rush_limbaugh.jpg

Sorry,
Miscreant

May 21, 2009 at 10:30 PM

Anonymous said…

Miscreant,

That vision explains you.

I hope no Vulcan tries a mind meld.

May 21, 2009 at 10:48 PM

A Libertarian Martin Luther King Jr. Day post

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.....on Unrestricted warfare . The US Air force Institute for National Security Studies have developed a reasonable systems approach to deter non-state violent actors who they label as NSVA's. It is an exceptionally important report if we want to deter violent extremism and other potential violent actors that could threaten this nation and its security. It is THE report our political officials should be listening to to shape policy so that we do not become excessive in using force against those who do not agree with policy and dispute it with reason and normal non-violent civil disobedience. This report, should be carefully read by everyone really concerned with protecting civil liberties while deterring violent terrorism and I recommend if you are a professional you send your recommendations via e-mail at the link above so that either 1.) additional safeguards to civil liberties are included, or 2.) additional viable strategies can be used. Finally, one can only hope that politici...

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