WASHINGTON — October 29, 2010 – Senator John Kerry, Senator Scott Brown, Congressman Barney Frank, and Congressman William Delahunt have written to Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke expressing disappointment and demanding an explanation as to why NOAA Law Enforcement employees who were found to have committed "serious infractions" were only reassigned rather then fired or demoted. Referring to former NOAA Law Enforcement director Dale Jones, the lawmakers noted that the Inspector General found "high-level misuse of funds, inappropriate document shredding during an active investigation, and targeting of New England fishermen" which they observed "represent very serious infractions." Conversely, "the recently publicized disciplinary actions on the individuals responsible for these abuses appear to be inconsequential given the significant and negative impact on our fishermen."
They continued "The reassignment of the former director for NOAA Fisheries Law Enforcement to a fisheries program specialist with nearly the same salary, as well as only personnel proceedings for the others involved, is incomprehensible considering the egregious enforcement practices these employees used to administer the Asset Forfeiture Fund."
The Senators and Congressmen asked that the Secretary "provide a detailed explanation of the Department's reasoning in reassigning these individuals rather than taking more severe action, such as substantially demoting them or terminating their employment." They said that "the fishermen who bore the brunt of these abuses deserve to know why these individuals are still employed at NOAA."