Commerce Dept. inspector general at impasse with Secretary Ross over releasing NOAA 'Sharpiegate'

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Washington Post

Capital Weather Gang
Commerce Department inspector general at impasse with Secretary Ross over releasing NOAA 'Sharpiegate' report

Unusual memo lays out the IG's concerns that the department is stifling the release of a long-awaited report

By Andrew Freedman and Jason Samenow
July 2 at 9:21 AM

The inspector general for the Commerce Department sent a memo to Secretary Wilbur Ross on Wednesday evening expressing "deep concern" that the department is infringing on the office's independence by preventing the release of a final report on the investigation of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration statement about Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

The memo by Peggy Gustafson was posted to the Office of the Inspector General's website in what marks a rare public airing in a dispute between an agency inspector general and a Cabinet secretary. The focus of the impasse, Gustafson writes, is the department's assertion of a broad claim of privilege that would exclude publication of certain material in the report, which began 10 months ago.

The secretary's office, the letter from Gustafson states, is asserting "amorphous and generalized privileges" over the contents of the final report, thereby preventing the OIG from releasing it. The main conclusions of the report are already publicly known as Gustafson, an appointee of President Barack Obama, posted a summary of the findings, dated June 26, late Monday night.

The summary said the full report was expected to be released on Monday.

That summary document includes redactions it says the Commerce Department requested, "while the Department and its stakeholders complete a pending privilege review" of the full report.

{snip}

Andrew Freedman
Andrew Freedman edits and reports on extreme weather and climate science for the Capital Weather Gang. He has covered science, with a specialization in climate research and policy, for Axios, Mashable, Climate Central, E&E Daily and other publications. Follow https://twitter.com/Afreedma

Jason Samenow
Jason Samenow is The Washington Post's weather editor and Capital Weather Gang's chief meteorologist. He earned a master's degree in atmospheric science and spent 10 years as a climate change science analyst for the U.S. government. He holds the Digital Seal of Approval from the National Weather Association. Follow https://twitter.com/capitalweather

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/07/02/commerce-ig-sharpiegate-dispute/

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There was a story about this in the New York Times yesterday. See the thread in Editorials & Other Articles

Inquiry Prompted by Trump's Hurricane Dorian Claim Is Being Blocked, Investigator Says

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016260747

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Hat tip, Joe.My.God.

Commerce Dept Blocks Report On Trump's Sharpie Map

https://www.joemygod.com/2020/07/commerce-dept-blocks-report-on-trumps-sharpie-map/

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Highly unusual situation: Department of Commerce is obstructing release of Hurricane Dorian #sharpiegate investigation says its inspector general office -- the department's independent watchdog group:

Link to tweet

[maxsolomon]

1. Par for the course

Any information that upsets President Solipsist cannot be allowed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Ridiculous - there's no justification for keeping anything about this from the public

It's a public service, that needs the public trust to function most effectively, and there's no "national security" implications at all. This is purely to prevent the embarrassment of Trump flunkies and the Orange Toad himself.

[keithbvadu2]

3. All that education and experience for Freedman/Samenow when all they need is a sharpie.

All that education and experience for Freedman/Samenow when all they need is a sharpie.

[PJMcK]

4. What a waste of time, money and focus

Thanks, Trump. As the idiot you are, you've created chaos in the National Weather Service. Of all the things in the U.S. government, this is the least political of all yet you figured out a way to fuck it up.

Asshole.

[lagomorph777]

5. If a Department is allowed to suppress their IG's report, we need to change the law.

That's not OK.

[plimsoll]

6. National Security?

Why redact any part of it. It's NOAA, not the NSA.