In an annoucement of a second hearing in the ongoing probe of the "politicization" of the Endangered Species Act, House Natural Resources Committee chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) used strong words to describe the political manipulation of science in the Interior Department.  He described the interference of former Deputy Assisant Secretary Julie MacDonald as "a fiasco."  Of Cheney's alleged involvement in the decision to reverse protections for two endangered fish on the Klamath River in Oregon, Rahall stated, "It certainly appears this Administration will stop at nothing to achieve political gain from natural resources disasters."

The date of the hearing has not been set, but the focus will be on the allegations of the vice president's inappropriate involvement in disputing the Fish and Wildlife Service's scientific justification for protecting several fish species on the Klamath.  The Washington Post reported yesterday that Cheney helped to reverse the Service's protections in order to divert more water from the river for irrigation.  The result was the largest adult salmon fish kill in the history of the West and a court order to return to the original protections the Service had been using.

U.S Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) penned the letter signed by thirty five other west coast members of Congress asking for a hearing by the Natural Resources Committee.  Thompson said "We know that science was manipulated and the law was violated.  Did in fact the vice president of the United States put pressure on midlevel bureaucrats to alter the science and circumvent the law in order to gain political votes for his re-election or the election of other people in Oregon?"

Rahall closed his statement announcing the hearing by saying, "Ultimately, it will be hardworking Americans and their healthy environment that will lose if we fail to act."