NJ Spotlight Gives Whitman An Unconditional Platform
A Whitewash And Act of Gross Revisionism
Yesterday, NJ Spotlight gave former Gov. Christie Whitman a platform, see:
That is an act of journalistic negligence and moral nihilism.
Many Spotlight readers may not know of Whitman’s environmental, climate and 9/11 record when she served as NJ Governor and Bush administration EPA Administrator.
So, we feel obligated to call out Spotlight for that egregious act and provide context and a few details of Whitman’s record for readers.
First of all, Whitman has the blood of thousands of 9/11 first responders on her hands, see:
Second, as NJ Governor, Whitman’s prime slogan was NJ is “Open For Business”, a slogan she used to systematically weaken NJ’s environmental laws and regulations and cripple DEP as an institution.
The former Bergen Record won a journalistic award for exposing Whitman’s “Open for Business” record, which included not only environmental rollbacks and corporate welfare, but corrupt pay to play practices.
Whitman’s US Senate Confirmation hearing transcript provides testimony that comprehensively documents that record, which was one of “failing a core mission”. Don’t miss my friend Bill Neil’s testimony.
On Whitman’s record, no need to take my word for it. Skeptics can read Whitman’s STARR Report (see p. 46 summary) “Strategy to Advance Regulatory Reform” (Department of State, Office of Business Ombudsman, July 1995) and read Whitman’s first State of The State address for examples of her no holds barred assault on DEP and regulation. Whitman abolished the Office of Environmental Prosecutor via Executive Order #9 and created the anti-regulatory Business Ombudsman’s Office via Executive Order #15) Whitman sought to roll back stricter NJ state standards to federal minimums via Executive Order #27. These are just a few of Whitman’s attacks that have been expanded upon by Gov. Christie and embraced by Gov. Murphy.
Full disclosure: I was forced out of DEP by Whitman DEP Commissioner Bob Shinn and his legal Counsel Mike Hogan (the Judge Hogan of Exxon NRD infamy) for blowing the whistle on Whitman’s efforts to lie to the public and suppress science and derail regulation regarding health risks of mercury in in freshwater fish. Surely, I have many axes to grind. That’s why all of the above is supported by links to the official documents.
Of course, with the exception of the Stop and Frisk episode, virtually none of this can be found on Whitman’s Wikipedia page, which has been scrubbed.
Third, Whitman is a hypocrite on climate change. For details, see:
A former public official with this kind of record has no place of respect and credibility in our current public debate.
Any effort to rehabilitate that record and seek public redemption requires explicit remorse and apology, which Whitman shows no signs of.
And NJ media outlets are obligated – professionally and morally – to provide the context and the history.