SharpieGate is a prime example of how unfit Donald Trump is to lead this nation, or serve in any capacity of leadership (except for using corrupt actions for self interests) — whether it's on a Board of Education, City Council, Congress or as lead dogcatcher.
Trump took a black Sharpie and marked up an official National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map, which he displayed during an Oval Office press conference, to make himself appear correct.
What transpired was so monumentally embarrassing to our country, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA,) that only deranged narcissist would've attempted it.
To refresh your memory since Trump continues to be the most corrupt president in our nation's history, and it's overwhelming, here's the reason the Inspector General was investigating in the first place. (Time has a nice timeline of these events.)
When hurricane Dorian was pelting the Bahamas, and possibly targeting the U.S., Trump tweeted out the following lie:
National Weather Service (NWS) Birmingham replied.
Then, a few days later, to the surprise of many, the NOAA took Trump's side in a poorly written and unsigned statement.
From Wednesday, August 28, through Monday, September 2, the information provided by NOAA and the National Hurricane Center to President Trump and the wider public demonstrated that tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama. This is clearly demonstrated in Hurricane Advisories #15 through #41, which can be viewed at the following link.The Birmingham National Weather Service’s Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time.
Wow!
The Washington Post now reports:
That statement, the inspector general found, damaged NOAA’s reputation for issuing apolitical guidance and eroded public trust in an agency tasked with protecting life and property. The report, however, contains no recommendations for punishing officials or major changes to department policies and procedures.
As usual, Trump's flunkies in the government — acting general counsel Michael Walsh, and then-acting deputy general counsel David Dewhirst — tried to suppress any information that pointed to Trump's culpability in SharpieGate by claiming privilege, which delayed the IG report from being released.
Walsh and Dewhirst are unfit for any position in the federal government, though Walsh is awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, came out hard against acting NOAA administrator Neil Jacobs’ pending nomination for the position.
Unfortunately, the report released today makes it crystal clear Neil Jacobs is not that leader, and he failed to protect scientists from political influence. Therefore, I oppose Neil Jacobs’ nomination to be the Administrator of NOAA, and I urge my colleagues to join me.”
The House Science Committee is now taking up the cause of investigating this atrocity. There isn't any part of our federal government that Trump hasn't tried to corrupt. Too often, he has succeeded.
