Senate Dems Demand Commerce IG Look Into Ross’ Alleged NOAA Threat

on June 22, 2018 in National Harbor, Maryland.
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - JUNE 22: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross speaks at the SelectUSA 2018 Investment Summit June 22, 2018 in National Harbor, Maryland. The investment summit encourages direct foreign invest... NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - JUNE 22: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross speaks at the SelectUSA 2018 Investment Summit June 22, 2018 in National Harbor, Maryland. The investment summit encourages direct foreign investment in companies across the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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After news broke that Commerce Department inspector general Peggy Gustafson would look into the unsigned statement from NOAA that backed up President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Alabama was in the Hurricane Dorian’s path, Senate Democrats quickly followed up with specific demands.

According to a Tuesday letter, those demands include investigating whether White House officials directly pressured NOAA employees, and if any Commerce Department officials retaliated against the scientists.

The latter seems to be an oblique reference to reporting that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross threatened acting NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs with termination if he and other top officials didn’t support the President’s incorrect meteorology.

The chief acting scientist at NOAA is also investigating the imbroglio to see if the organization violated ethics rules.

Read the Democrats’ letter here:

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