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EPA Whitman's Ties to CitiGroup
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This is an excerpt. Visit Multinational Monitor's website for the complete interview.
See also: EPA Coverup? September 11th Environmental Hypocrisy and EPA Obmudsman Resigns.
Speaking Truth to Citi’s Power Interviews with Citi’s Critics
Citi’s Interests at EPA
An Interview with Hugh Kaufman
Hugh Kaufman joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at its inception in 1971. He helped found the Solid and Hazardous Waste Program and was the chief investigator of major contaminated sites, including Woburn, Massachusetts, Love Canal, New York, and Times Beach, Missouri. He later helped draft the original Superfund law. During the Reagan administration, his testimony before Congress set in motion a chain of events that forced President Reagan to fire a number of top EPA officials in 1983, including Rita LaVelle, who went to jail for lying to Congress. In the last five years, he has been aiding the EPAís ombudsmanís office as chief investigator.
Multinational Monitor: What is U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Whitman’s connection to Citigroup and why would that compromise her ability to perform her job?
Hugh Kaufman: Whitman’s husband John Whitman is the managing partner of Sycamore Ventures, a $550 million dollar venture capital firm that was spun out of Citigroup, but still manages a substantial amount of the company’s money — hundreds of millions. John Whitman used to be a Citigroup officer. In the year 2000, he received a big bonus from Citigroup. So a large preponderance of the family’s income comes from Citigroup. On top of that, they own up to $250,000 of Citigroup stock.
Given these substantial economic ties, based on federal ethics rules, in any issue in which Citigroup may be involved, Whitman is required to recuse herself and assign some other EPA official to make decisions. But she has not recused herself on any issues involving Citigroup.
The issues involving Citigroup that she has either made a decision on or an individual under her influence and control made decisions on could save Citigroup hundreds of millions of dollars and may have already saved the company that amount of money. The cases include the World Trade Center contamination case, the Shattuck case and Marjol Battery case, as well as the decision she made in late November to dissolve the EPA’s ombudsman office. All of those together could save Citigroup hundreds of millions of
dollars.
This is an excerpt. Visit Multinational Monitor's website for the complete interview.
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