About two thirds of the way through the Senate Commerce Committee hearing organized by Sen. John Kerry in Boston, the lightning-rod witness, NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco, got up and led her entourage out of the State House, creating bad optics and hard feelings.
She stayed only up to the moment marine scientist Brian Rothschild, a learned critic of Lubchenco policies, began his presentation.
But while Lubchenco's communications staff that Monday — Oct. 3 — explained she had a preexisting appointment, they rebuffed inquires from the Times for details of her reason for leaving early, and after getting more than an earful from Senate and congressional colleagues of Kerry's, especially Sen. Scott Brown, and Reps. Barney Frank and John Tierney.
Thursday, the Times confirmed from multiple sources that Lubchenco left the field hearing — one that Kerry postponed more than once to accommodate her — for a meeting across town aimed at lobbying support from the Editorial Board of The Boston Globe.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.