If there ever had to be a last straw, a final line, crossed by Lubchenco and her band of allies on their way out the door, this is it. It's time for Congress to act, show Lubchenco the door, and unleash a criminal prosecution that can restore justice to a process that's not just off the rails, but at the bottom of the sea. This action cannot stand. And our lawmakers need to knock it down — now.
Everyone who works in or supports the fishing industry suspected from the start that the Locke-Lubchenco apology was fraudulent — a cheap PR move to take some pressure off Lubchenco, who still hasn't taken any action against ousted NOAA police honcho Dale Jones, special agent Andy Cohen or any of the other thugs who have given her agency two black eyes. And it seemed a move to take heat off Locke, who is in line to make a quick exit to become our ambassador to China — a frightening thought in its own right, given his inability to even stand up to Lubchenco.
And most of those in and around the fishing industry suspected that Lubchenco can't be believed or trusted — whether signing onto a laughable pseudo-science report suggesting the oceans would be left to jellyfish if not for her beloved catch share fishery management program, or whether she's trying to turn back the clock and falsely claim she initiated the Inspector General's investigation — knowing full well she acted only after getting pushed by congressional lawmakers who followed up work by state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante.
Read the complete editorial from The Gloucester Times.