NEW BEDFORD — Two congressmen from Massachusetts have joined the state's two senators in giving Commerce Secretary Gary Locke three days to make public the preliminary report of the special master appointed to review law enforcement abuses in the Northeast fishery.
In a joint letter to Locke, Democratic Sen. John Kerry, Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic Reps. Barney Frank and John Tierney were emphatic about their wishes: "After years of malfeasance, our fishermen deserve to know the recommendations of an independent third-party review in order to finally achieve some semblance of closure."
The letter reminded Locke of the file-shredding, excessive fines and vindictive law enforcement that brought about his decision to hire retired judge Charles Swartwood as special master. But since Swartwood filed his report nearly a month ago, Commerce has refused every request to release it under the Freedom of Information Act.
"New England fishermen have waited long enough to know whether or not they are entitled to restitution for the outrageous and unfair treatment by NOAA officials," they wrote.
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