As his commission winds down, Ret. Judge Charles B. Swartwood III — the U.S Commerce secretary's investigative "special master" — is expected to make a return trip to Gloucester next week for interviews with fishermen and industry participants who contend they were egregiously mistreated by the federal fisheries law enforcement system.
Since his appointment last Sept. 23 by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Swartwood, who also chairs the state Ethics Commission, has been working from an office in Boston assigned to determine which — if any — law enforcement actions undertaken by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration were so unjust that compensating action "to modify or remit penalties" is warranted.
According to Locke's memorandum announcing his decision to launch a review of miscarriages of justice, Swartwood's term was to expire next Sunday.
Neither the commerce secretary's office nor JAMS — originally, the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service, through which Swartwood has been employed by the government — were able to say whether the contract has been extended, or when the report commissioned by Locke will be delivered. It's also unclear when Swartwood's commission formally took effect.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.