Asserting the authority of a congressional committee, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, has demanded a "privileged" explanation from the executive branch for the rationale behind the decision to reassign rather than punish top federal fisheries law enforcement officers found to have abused their authority in actions against fishermen.
A Maine Republican, who is the ranking member of the Senate Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard subcommittee, Snowe invoked what she described as the "statutory authority" of a congressional committee with jurisdiction over an executive agency to require an explanation for the agency's actions in privileged communication to the committee.
Those targeted actions are decisions made earlier this year reassign rather than discipline Dale J. Jones, the former longtime chief of law enforcement for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Charles Juliand, the former longtime senior attorney in the Gloucester Office of General Counsel for Enforcement and Litigation.
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