Peanut Corp of America Boss Pleads the Fifth
Like his mouth was gummed up by his own product, Mr. Stew Parnell pleaded the fifth in response to all of Congress’s questions about his involvement in the salmonella scandal. Â When a congressman offered up some peanut butter from a jar wrapped in crime scene tap, he declined. Â After the fruitless congressional hearing, he took the “walk of shame” back to his car, still keeping quiet as a barrage of reporters shouted at him:
“Mr. Parnell, did you put profits ahead of the public’s health?”
“People died, sir. Do you have anything to say to their families?”
The US has the Fifth Amendment in order to keep individuals from incriminating themselves and to protect against coerced confessions.  It makes perfect legal sense and helps make sure that one is innocent until proven guilty with tangible evidence not evinced from under hot lights of interrogation.  But, Parnell didn’t need to speak that day. The internal memos he wrote say enough:
Internal e-mails indicate the owner of a peanut company urged his workers to ship tainted products after receiving test results identifying salmonella.
The company e-mails obtained by a House committee show Peanut Corp. of America owner Stewart Parnell ordered the shipments tainted with the bacteria because he was worried about lost sales.
Hearing this surely gave the public a naseous feeling not unlike the one caused by his corporation’s tainted peanut butter. Â If you’re feeling anxious, you can get your own widget from the CDC in order to monitor the continuing recalls. Â If only food safety oversight was so technologically advanced…
UPDATE: Peanut Corporation of America has filed for bankruptcy and is liquidating its assets (link).
February 13, 2009
Tags: food, food event, food safety, Health Posted in: Politics
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