August 23, 2007

Bizarre message discipline at the NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is filled with experts on cars, transportation, accident data, safety measures, bridge integrity, and the like. Occasionally, reporters might have a question about one of these issues, so they’ll call the NHTSA to utilize this public, taxpayer-financed expertise.

But that’s apparently no longer an option. Readers G.D. and W.H. alerted me to this unbelievable report from the NYT’s Christopher Jensen, who covers the automotive beat for the paper of record.

Jensen found that the NHTSA won’t even allow its communications office to go on the record in acknowledging the name of the agency’s director. The agency charged with providing public information about the nation’s top automotive safety agency forbids staffers from answering reporters’ questions.

The policy is the brainchild of NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason, who took control of the agency in May 2006.

I found this out recently when I asked to talk to an N.H.T.S.A. researcher about some technical safety issues in which he had a great deal of expertise. Agency officials told me I could talk to the expert on a background basis, but if I wanted to use any information or quotes from him, that would have to be worked out later with a N.H.T.S.A. official. The arrangement struck me as manipulative, and I declined to agree to it.

It seems that Ms. Nason has adopted a policy that has blocked virtually all of her staff — including the communications office — from providing any information to reporters on the record, which means that it can be attributed. As an alternative I was told I could interview Ms. Nason on the record (instead of the expert on the subject of my article). I declined, failing to see how her appointment as administrator — she was trained as a lawyer — made her an expert in that subject.

When I said I would like to talk to Ms. Nason on the record about her no-attribution policy, she was not available.

Got that? You can’t talk to the expert, but you can talk to the politically-appointed boss. If you want to talk to the boss about why you can’t talk to the expert, the boss is no longer available.

Wait, it gets funnier.

The agency’s new policy effectively means that some of the world’s top safety researchers are no longer allowed to talk to reporters or to be freely quoted about automotive safety issues that affect pretty much everybody.

“My God,” said Joan Claybrook, who was N.H.T.S.A. administrator from 1977 to 1981 and is now president of Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group. Given that N.H.T.S.A. is the leading source of automotive safety information in the United States, its researchers are public officials and people are entitled to “know what information they have, whether it is on paper or in their heads,” Ms. Claybrook said. […]

[I]t is a radical change from the way N.H.T.S.A has operated for at least 20 years. In the past, reporters could talk to its experts and the agency was proud to discuss its research and accomplishments.

The NYT’s Jensen talked to Nason’s chief of staff, David Kelly, who said that the agency’s new administration felt the change was necessary because and “we were finding a lot of stuff did not need to be on the record.”

After Jensen and Kelly talked on the phone, Kelly insisted that he did not want to be quoted and had intended to speak only on background. Jensen quoted him anyway, deciding the official couldn’t make up ground-rules after the fact.

I’ve heard of message discipline, but this is ridiculous.

 
Discussion

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38 Comments
1.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:33 pm, ET said:

Can’t wait for the next president – how many days do we have left?

2.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:33 pm, JKap said:

It’s not funny, it’s totalitarianism.

3.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:37 pm, Blue Girl said:

You know what shocks me? The fact that this sort of perfidy no longer shocks me.

4.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:40 pm, Zeitgeist said:

The massive corporatization of government: nothing about the public’s business has to be public any longer.

5.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:41 pm, Martin said:

After Jensen and Kelly talked on the phone, Kelly insisted that he did not want to be quoted and had intended to speak only on background. Jensen quoted him anyway, deciding the official couldnโ€™t make up ground-rules after the fact.

Good. Now the rest of the media adopt this policy for every gov’t employee who talks!

6.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:44 pm, Steve said:

Well, there it is—they’ve finally put the crash-test dummy in charge of the crash-test….

7.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:45 pm, bubba said:

A little info on Nason

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2002/May/profile.xml

A Henry Hyde protege.

And a disgrace to CWRU.

8.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:47 pm, bubba said:

Worked for Porter Goss too.

and there is this: Nason was giving back in important ways outside of her job, as a peer counselor at her alma mater, American University, and as a partner and volunteer at the Cornerstone School in Washington, D.C., an institution that seeks to provide students with a sense of spiritual as well as academic excellence.

9.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:47 pm, Mark D said:

Pardon my language here, but …

Are you fucking kidding me?!?!?!?!?!

It’s the goddamn NHTSA, not the CIA or FBI. If anything, these people’s work has the possibility of saving countless lives and their reports and knowledge are vital to the publics’ safety and well being.

So what the holy hell are they afraid of, exactly? Seriously. What information could they possibly have that is worth so much secrecy?

I don’t know this is setting me off so much. I guess it’s just … well, this is fucking asinine an agency that’s pretty innocuous goes around as if it’s the second coming of the KGB.

Sweet fucking Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ on a pogo stick …

10.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:51 pm, bubba said:

Oh, and it looks like Cornerstone School in DC is run by or associated with none other than regent university: http://www.regent.edu/acad/schedu/pdfs/cornerstone_schools.pdf

Imagine that.

11.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:52 pm, Anne said:

Still waiting for the funny part…

And MarkD, I find the acronym AYFKM? to be ever so handy – sometimes, like now, it’s about the only response I can manage.

12.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:53 pm, short fuse said:

Well, if we start talking about automobile safety data, the terrorists win.

13.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 pm, Gregory said:

I guess they were serious when they aid they wanted to run government like a business.

These rules are the bunk — as a taxpayer-funded institution, the NHTSA’s information belongs to the American people, period, full stop. Too bad if some of it’s embarrassing to the GOP’s corproate masters.

14.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:03 pm, Mark D said:

And MarkD, I find the acronym AYFKM? to be ever so handy – sometimes, like now, itโ€™s about the only response I can manage.

Yeah … I really, really try not to drop f-bombs anymore. Partly because I don’t want CB to get labeled as one of those filthy bloggers because of a commenter, and partly because I’m trying to clean up my own language due to my three-year old (while hearing a three-year old say it is kinda cute, his daycare doesn’t see it that way).

Of course, football season starts soon and, as a Chiefs fan, I may take a few steps back. ๐Ÿ™‚

15.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:07 pm, Zeitgeist said:

Anne, as often as these acronyms come in handy you’re going to run out of places for the tattoos. ๐Ÿ™‚

16.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm, Haik Bedrosian said:

They don’t just keep the secrets secret. They keep everything secret. Makes it harder to find the secrets.

What are the right wing blogs saying about this? Are they in favor?

If this group can’t share information, what’s the point of its existance?

17.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:10 pm, Royston Vasey said:

It’s so funny, I forgot to laugh.
๐Ÿ˜

18.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:12 pm, Shalimar said:

Republicans do not believe in democracy, it’s as simple as that.

19.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:16 pm, bubba said:

“Republicans do not believe in democracy, itโ€™s as simple as that.”

Especially fundamental evangelical ones like this person appears to be.

20.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:27 pm, Jim Strain said:

Of course NHTSA can’t have their staffers disclose anything about auto safety. Might hurt the business community.

The hack parade continues its slow march toward January 2009.

21.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:30 pm, bubba said:

“Might hurt the business community.”

Might also hurt the Grover Norquist type GOP anti-tax crusaders if the true condition or picture of our roads, bridges, and other infrastructure were to come to light.

22.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:34 pm, Swan said:

Americans need to tell George W. Bush “there are a lot of fish in the sea” and “you overestimate your powers over women, Johnny English.” They need to make the Republican congresssmen feel there will be no easy road to incumbency at the polling place if Bush is not held accountable. I really wish the Republican voters would hear about all these kind of things and get wise to this.

23.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:37 pm, Rich said:

It’s a first step to defunding the agency. If they don’t have a public purpose then why have the agency at all? Make it invisible then drown it in the bathtub. More of Grover’s technique for demonizing government.

24.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 2:49 pm, GRACIOUS said:

More facism; that’s all I can muster up along with AYFKM!

25.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 3:02 pm, Kafka Lives said:

โ€œ…. because we were finding a lot of stuff did not need to be on the record.โ€

Now let’s see: we have an agency funded by taxpayers to gather information for and to benefit taxpayers, but the taxpayers can’t have access to it–even the director’s name? We probably can assume that the remainder of government agencies are doing the same thing but no one has yet noticed.

Steve is spot on. And though like Mark D. I’m trying to convey the perception that I’m a civilized adult by lysoling my potty mouth, may I reiterate his SFJHTC on a pogo stick.

Please join me in asking–loudly, often, and in every public place, venue, and platform you can find–WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?

26.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 3:07 pm, bjobotts said:

This is the reality. Bush has put political appointees in charge of all federal agencies and their job is to protect corporate interests. In this case we are now unlikely to hear about safety issues affecting auto makers and others in transportation bottom dollar unless some tragedy calls it to national attention. I don’t see how they can get away with paying public funds to a public agency who insists on being private. More in the line of Bush making our government dysfunctional as justification to privatize. It’s infuriating…more so because congress won’t impeach the bastard…and he is America’s bastard.

27.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 3:27 pm, Mat7010 said:

Just wondering if the gag order is in effect for senators too! Would be interesting to have one call these guys up for info!

28.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 4:11 pm, Dick Durata said:

Awful. But don’t worry, the Democrats are planning to pout, big time.

29.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 5:11 pm, Wally said:

Well said, Dick Durata.

Just today, I got a fundraising solicitation from Understanding Government, an organization that supports preventive journalism. The idea is to encourage reporters to cover agencies more proactively and responsively, such as investigating whether mines have gotten safer after a round of stories about a mine disaster. Their web site is at http://www.understandinggov.org, and I plan to contribute to them. If this kind of idiocy is going on all over the federal government, it’s got to get covered.

30.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 5:33 pm, dzman49 from OKC said:

Good news: One of my U.S. Senators is on the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I dropped him a line alerting him to this odd situation.

Bad news: He’s James Inhofe.

31.
On August 23rd, 2007 at 9:09 pm, GuyFromOhio said:

Chris Jensen has been writing about cars and the auto industry for a long time. He may not be activist, but it’s unlikely he’ll just stop at this little anecdote. Note that he not only went for comment from a former admin, but that former admin happens to be with Public Citizen.

Nicole Nason has got to be a political appointee – no one else is that stupid.

32.
On August 24th, 2007 at 8:59 am, Ex Patriot said:

And to think they wanted to impeach Clinton for not telling the truth about his messing around with Monica or what ever.I can think of many reasons this one should be impeached and another was just added

33.
On August 24th, 2007 at 11:06 am, No Blood for Hubris said:

It’s not fer nuthin’ that they call these people Bushist Fascists.

34.
On August 24th, 2007 at 1:02 pm, Al B Tross said:

The CEO president. Run the government like a business, shit, run our lives like a business, no emotion, no thought, just the perverse pursuit of wealth.

The American Business/CorPirate ethic is killing Democracy.
Are we ready to reverse Santa Clara County Vs Southern Pacific RR?

“A corporation has no rights except those given it by law. It can exercise no power except that conferred upon it by the people through legislation, and the people should be as free to withhold as to give, public interest and not private advantage being the end in view.”

— William Jennings Bryan
address to the Ohio 1912 Constitutional Convention

How long are we going to let this be??
If the Dems are serious about their politics, this is the core issue they should be campaigning on, every other issue derives from this common source.
If they are silent on this issue, we now know why.

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