A cadre of Massachusetts lawmakers is asking Gary Locke, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, why tougher punishments weren't meted out to NOAA officials who were enmeshed in allegations of misuse of funds and inappropriate document shredding.
Sen. John Kerry, Scott Brown and Reps. Barney Frank and William Delahunt sent a letter Oct. 27 to Locke asking why "the disciplinary actions on the individuals responsible for these abuses appear to be inconsequential given the significant and negative impact on our fishermen."
The letter makes no mention of Dale Jones, who left his post as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's fisheries law enforcement director in the spring under the cloud of an inspector general's findings that alleged misuse of funds, document shredding and illicit targeting of New England fishermen.
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