What’s driving you crazy?

Congressman Michael Burgess charges the Humane Society shares the blame for biggest beef recall in history. He leveled his charges during a Capitol Hill hearing, saying the animal rights group did not act soon enough.

Okay, granted, my source for this is the New York Times. I wasn’t there. Apparently Andrew Martin was, and I am very glad he was there to hear what Mr. Burgess had to say.

However, doesn’t it sound just like him? Yes, Rep. Burgess is my congressman (and I don’t particularly care for him - just so’s you know).

The Humane Society cooperated with local law enforcement authorities, and its reward is to be attacked by a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

<Law & Order guitar chords>

I am getting ahead of myself. Once again - I give you, the New York Times (I added all the emphasis - helps the layout):

WASHINGTON — As the meat industry scrambles to recover from a public-relations disaster over an undercover video of abused cattle, the secretary of agriculture and at least one congressman have picked an unlikely target to share in the blame: the Humane Society of the United States.

You see, according to the story, the Humane Society had the video for four months before it released it. That irked the tender Repiblican, who was only one of two Texas GOP house members to vote for the ban on horse slaughters (probably to get even with the French, but that’s just me).

At a Capitol Hill hearing on Tuesday, Representative Michael C. Burgess, Republican of Texas, assailed the Humane Society for waiting to inform the federal government.
“Why wait until February to release the video?” Mr. Burgess demanded of a Humane Society representative. “Why wait until now to bring this to our attention?”
His criticism echoed a point made last week by Ed Schafer, the secretary of agriculture, who said he was “extremely disappointed” in the Humane Society. He complained that “for four months, theoretically, animals were not being properly treated, and the Humane Society stood by and allowed it to happen.”

Gasp! Cannot you just see those Humane Society folks sitting around in the break room, munching hamburgers and hot dogs, watching the tapes of animal cruelty.

“Hey, should we do something with these videos?,” they joke in this scenario. “Congress might be upset if we delay.”

Pause for comedy timing.

“Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” they yell in chorus and break into laughter.

If you think like the administration and one of its lockstep buddy congressmen you can see it happening just that way.

The truth lies elsewhere, if you believe the New York Times (that’s a hint to keep reading).

Humane Society representatives said Tuesday that the criticism was misplaced. They said the primary concern of their organization is animal welfare, not food safety, and as soon as they had the tape they took it to local prosecutors in California.The Humane Society said it was asked to withhold the tape while the prosecutors conducted an investigation. The society released the tape after growing frustrated with the pace of that investigation. Shortly afterward, prosecutors charged two slaughterhouse workers with violations.

Oops! So President Boy George Bush’s secretary of agriculture and Ol’ Doc Burgess (yes, he is a medical doctor) actually are attacking the Humane Society for doing its civic duty and cooperting with law enforcement officials.

<Law & Order guitar chords>

Oh, and the Humane Society points out a couple of other things to The Times. Seems as though keeping the slaughterhouse line safe from diseased animals is not the provence of the Humane Society. Did you know it actually is the job of <Dragnet - “dum-de-dum-dum”> the secretary of agriculture?

Oh, and you’ll love this, seems like someone was laying out the blame to someone else besides the Humane Society -

Robert E. Brackett, who served as director of the Food and Drug Administration’s food-safety unit until last year, criticized both the Bush administration and Congress, saying they failed to provide enough money to the agency to protect the food supply.
“Because F.D.A. food-related funding has not kept pace with inflation, more than 800 scientists, inspectors and other critical staff have been lost in the past four years,” said Mr. Brackett, now a vice president at the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

I think at this point it might be good to mention that much of the beef which was recalled had already been fed to schoolchildren. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the massive beef recall (only fair to add that too).

The president of Westland/Hallmark Meat. Steve Mendell, the company in question opted to skip the hearings. Nobody there apparently had anything to say to The Times.

Everyone who thinks Ol’ Doc Burgess might have put his hoof in his mouth raise your hands. Think maybe he’ll say he’s sorry? Think maybe some else with a big “R” after his or her name will attack the whistleblower again before this all over?

Ok, kids, that’s all. Thank you for your attention. For lunch, you have your choice of hot dogs or bologna sandwiches.

Before you go, I would like to remind you that Ken Leach is running against Mr. Burgess in November’s election.

If you want to read the entire New York Times article, click here. It’s great lunchtime reading.