Official Tells of Investigation Into Mad Cow Discrepancies

[radfringe]

Official Tells of Investigation Into Mad Cow Discrepancies
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/04/politics/04COW.html
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. -- Published: March 4, 2004


The government has begun a criminal investigation into whether documents were falsified in the lone case of mad cow disease found in the United States, the Agriculture Department's inspector general said yesterday.

The official, Phyllis K. Fong, told a House appropriations subcommittee that the investigation focused on whether the Holstein dairy cow was a "downer" — a cow too sick or injured to walk — when it was slaughtered on Dec. 9 at Vern's Moses Lake Meats in Washington State.

--- snip---

The official records of the veterinarian at the slaughterhouse, released by the Agriculture Department in January, said the animal was "sternal, alert," meaning that it was conscious but down on its sternum, or chest, before it was killed.

But three witnesses — the worker who killed the animal, the trucker who hauled it to the slaughterhouse and an owner of the slaughterhouse — have all said publicly that it was walking.

--- snip ---

Asked yesterday whether it was possible that someone in the top ranks of the department could have ordered Dr. Thompson to forge a report, Alisa Harrison, the department's chief spokeswoman, repeated five times: "I cannot fathom that that would happen."

Asked several times if she was saying it did not happen, Ms. Harrison said Ms. Veneman did not order it. Asked if someone else in the top ranks could have, she repeated, "I'm saying I cannot fathom it."

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. Well, that's a downer

for her at least.

"FUCK BUSH" Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[R Hickey]

2. "I can't fathom it" is Republican-speak for...

"My statement is no longer operational," or "I was out of the loop," or "I respectfully must take the Fifth Amendment," or "There's enough blame around for everyone."

[Yogi]

3. I haven't ate beef....

since * said he was still eating beef. He has lied to us before. Air quality in New York comes to mind as one of his lies.