AP Exclusive: Back to work after salmonella case

[Omaha Steve]

Source: (Excite) AP

By MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON (AP) - The peanut industry executive whose filthy processing plants were blamed in a salmonella outbreak two years ago that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more is back in the business.

Stewart Parnell, former president of the now-bankrupt Peanut Corp. of America, is working as a consultant to peanut companies as the federal government's criminal investigation against him has languished for more than 18 months, The Associated Press has learned.

Parnell, who invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying before Congress in February 2009, once directed employees to "turn them loose" after samples of peanuts had tested positive for salmonella and then were cleared in a second test, according to e-mails uncovered at the time by congressional investigators.

In an interview with the AP, Parnell expressed exasperation and said he wants the pending criminal investigation resolved - one way or another.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100908/D9I3KUMG1.html

[Demeter]

1. He's not the Only One

Why isn't this murderer in jail yet, Mr. President?