The Bush administration is noted for its strict control of
"leaks" to the press and its discipline regarding perceived acts
of dissent.
Now, President Bush's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
ordered its staff to "refrain from answering" questions from the
news media, according to an agency memo obtained by Public
Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). [1]
The gag order was issued by Bharat Marthur, the top EPA official
for the Midwestern region. In a memo to all regional staff,
Marthur forbids EPA staff from initiating contact with the press
or responding to any press queries. Even EPA's designated
spokespeople must now "report their conversations" with
reporters to the Office of Public Affairs.
Likewise, EPA staff in the Rocky Mountain region have been
ordered not to answer any "potentially political inquiry" from
the media.
The ban seems to violate not only a longstanding EPA practice of
allowing its experts to talk with reporters about matters within
their areas of expertise. It also appears to violate
Congressionally-enacted bans on agencies trying to impose any
"nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement" on their employees
without informing employees of their rights under the
Whistleblower Protection Act.
###
SOURCES:
[1] PEER press release, Sept. 22, 2004.
