Well, I think I’ve found where it’s coming from. This article from the Clarion-Legdger outlines a possible plan for the Bush Administration to foist the blame for the deteriorating levees on The Sierra Club’s desire to delay a plan for a levee project along the Mississippi. Of course, it wasn’t the levees on the Mississippi that broke. Here’s the internal e-mail:
The Clarion-Ledger has obtained a copy of an internal e-mail the U.S. Department of Justice sent out this week to various U.S. attorneys’ offices: “Has your district defended any cases on behalf of the (U.S.) Army Corps of Engineers against claims brought by environmental groups seeking to block or otherwise impede the Corps work on the levees protecting New Orleans? If so, please describe the case and the outcome of the litigation.”
Though the Fox News story about the email is not much different in tone, note the difference in the headlines.
Some interesting discussion about the whole thing, seen here. The right is ignoring the detail that the suit pertained to the levees that *didn’t* break. The left is assuming that this shows that Bush is trying to cover his ass. As I’m continuing to watch and read assessments of why this disaster was handled badly, I’m also continuing to watch each side solidify its point of view. As that happens, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell whom to believe. I know where my inclinations lie, but I’ve watched some people jump to some poor conclusions.
