2001-08-14 - 21:08 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Say What ?

Things come up in the news that make me sit and wonder just what in the heck has gone astray and awry in our country ?

The Rocky Mountain News of August 14th published an article by Karen Abbot a News Staff Writer, the major portion follows and then a comment or two of mine.

Here it talks about, "Three former security guards at Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant who filed their claims under the federal False Claim Act claiming that dangerous, lax security existed there several years ago."

"US Magistrate Judge Patricia Coan conducted four days of hearings in the case in July. Her 35 page recommendation, issued August 7, said the case should be dismissed because it would interfere with cleaning up and closing the former nuclear weapons plant in Jefferson County, Colorado."

It says that, "A final decision is up to Denver US District Judge Walker Miller."

"The former guards, David Ridenour, Jeffrey Peters and Mark Graf, filed their claims under the federal False Clamn Act, seeking about $400 for themselves and the federal government."

"They contend that Kaiser-Hill Co., which is cleaning up the plant under a contract with under the government, security contractor Wackenhut Services and former plant operator EG&G Rocky Flats, ignored security issues."

"Kaiser-Hill one of the contractors acknowleged some security problems existed in 1996, but has said they don't exist now."

It seems that, "The False Claims Act lets citizens sue to force government contractors for payments collected under false pretenses. The suing citizens also get a share of the money if they win the case." "The government sometimes joins in such lawsuits on the side of the plaintiffs, but in this case asked that the case be dismissed."

The law -- the law that is supposed to protect all of us, "The law lets the government seek dismissal of such a case it it would interfere with a legitimate government purpose, EVEN IF THE CLAIMS HAVE MERIT." (Caps are mine).

"The guards contend the US Department of Energy paid the contractors millions of dollars to provide security for the plutonium, uranium and other toxic materials at the plant."

"The government wanted the case dismissed for several reasons, including the risk to national security because of the large number of classified documents involved in the case."

"A SPECIAL SECURITY OFFICER sat in the courtroom during last month's hearing TO MAKE SURE NO ONE SAID ANYTHING THEY SHOULDN'T." (Caps mine again)

"The government also said the lawsuit would delay the closing of Rocky Flats, now scheduled for Dec. 15, 2006. It also would divert money from the cleanup of toxic materials and the closure, the government said." "Judge Coan said those were good enough reasons to dismiss the lawsuit."

So, the defendants in the case were the govenment security contractor Wackenhut Services (whose origin was the goon squad of Henry Ford from what I have read about them referring to other matters.) (Parenthetical words mine and my opinion), Kaiser-Hill Co. which is cleaning up the plant and former plant operator EG&G Rocky Flats accused of ignoring security security issues.

Have I seen everything yet Big Brother ? -- what kind of perverse logic is this ? ? ? ? ? The feds have a huge blanket under which they can slant anything in any way they want. INTERFERES WITH LEGITIMATE PURPOSE ? ? ? MY A__!!!!! Who's on first ?? Is this another Gary Larson, "Far Side cartoon" ?? In circumstances like this I keep remembering a cartoon of his showing a guy mounted on a horse with a rope around his neck, a sheriff telling the posse, "Okay, if you want a trial, we'll have one and then we'll hang the son of a gun."

It seems to me that when there is a miscarriage of justice, the deceased offspring are mostly peons like me. The government takes the position that even if you are right it is wrongful to say anything. You know, even if you are right, it doesn't mean a thing, shoo, scat !!

When I first read this article, my double take was followed by a remark, Say What ?

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