The world according to Monsanto : pollution, corruption, and

58 the world according to monsantoreviewed. The [word deleted] EPA Office of Health and Environmental Assessment,[word deleted] stated that even if the studies were falsified, theywould have little implication in the end because the Monsanto studies wereimmaterial to EPA’s decision making regarding dioxin.”But this was still not enough for Monsanto, as demonstrated by a notewritten on August 26, 1992, by an official at the EPA (whose name has beendeleted) recounting a recent telephone conversation with Moore: “Now JimMoore wants to talk about what EPA might or should say to set the recordstraight by untarnishing the company’s reputation. He understands the sensitivityof the request. ...At the very least, I would think that he would beentitled to a letter saying that the investigation was closed for lack of evidencesufficient to support a criminal prosecution. ...I suggested to Jimthat he consider writing a letter to [word deleted] proposing what Monsantowants and why.”Collusion Between Government and IndustryWhile Monsanto was dictating its orders to the EPA, Cate Jenkins was sufferingthe trials of the whistle-blower. She was relieved of most of her responsibilitieson August 30, 1990, and remained essentially unoccupieduntil she was involuntarily transferred to an administrative position—a jobas a “pencil pusher,” in her words—especially created for her. Her fate hadin fact been sealed by late February 1990, as revealed in a memorandumfrom her superior, Edwin Abrams: “I don’t think Cate should be involvedwith anything that puts her in direct contact with the regulated communityor the general public, because she has extremist views on dioxin. If we insiston retaining her, place her in some administrative or staff position (like BillSanjour) and not worry about whether she is happy.” 21 The reference madeSanjour chuckle, but he quickly got serious: “We criticized Soviet methods alot in this country,” he said angrily. “I think there’s an atmosphere like theKGB inside the EPA.”On April 21, 1992, Jenkins filed a complaint with the Labor Departmentagainst the EPA. A month later a judge ordered that she be reinstated in heroriginal position on the grounds that her involuntary transfer was discriminatoryand illegal. The EPA appealed. The order of reinstatement was upheldtwo years later by the secretary of labor, who also criticized the conduct