State Senator John Marty, chair of the Health, Housing and Family Security Committee, has a column on the Minnesota Department of Health withholding information on miners’ mesothelioma deaths entitled, MN Health Department Cover-up — Mistake or Malfeasance?
A couple of excerpts to whet your appetite:
After legislative hearings and a review of Health Department memos, it is clear that this was a calculated decision to keep the information secret, without regard to the health impact on miners, until the Pawlenty administration could put the proper spin on it…
If this was disclosed promptly, more could have been done to protect people currently working in the mines. Internal health department memos acknowledged that release of the findings would raise demands that additional steps be taken by the mining company and the state…
Commissioner Mandernach repeatedly has stated that they did not want to release the information about health risks to the miners until the administration had “all their ducks in a row.” Forget about the Pawlenty administration’s ducks. How about showing some concern for the miners and their families?
No, this was not a mistake. It was a cynical attempt to protect the Pawlenty administration’s political interests. It is time for Commissioner Mandernach, and the those in the Governor’s office who were involved, to be dismissed.
Wow.