by Craig Rhodes

FYI, this is my response to the criticism from conservative, Republican blog "Elephants In the Bluegrass" of Mark and his blog regarding McConnell's misleading political ads that distorts his record regarding environmental issues at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. I have uploaded this to Elephants In the Bluegrass and hope they will post it.

Mark's blogs on McConnell can be read here:
Mitch McConnell's political ad about the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion plant workers not accurate at all!
http://www.ruralthoughts.net/?q=node/92

Another Strike Against McConnell's Nuclear Worker compensation TV Ad
http://www.ruralthoughts.net/?q=node/110

Where in the World Was Sen. Mitch McConnell
http://www.ruralthoughts.net/?q=node/97

Elephants in the Bluegrass' criticism of both Mark and his blog can be found here:
http://elephantsinthebluegrass.blogspot.com/2008/04/mcconnell-paducah-ad...

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I served with Donham on the Citizen's Advisory Board at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) for 7 years so I have some insight into his qualifications on this issue.

First off, for the sake of accuracy, Mark Donham is not a former worker at the plant. Has never worked there. Nevertheless, he is considered by many in our area, region and nation, including his opponents, as being one of the most knowledgeable people on this issue around. The Washington Post article that you referenced which finally exposed what was being done at the PDGP, quoted and vetted Donham's information on this extensively.

In essence you downplay Donham's criticism of McConnell based on the false assumption that McConnell and everyone else was "in the dark" about the issue of plutonium at the PGDP. Both history and facts, not just Donham's opinion, speak otherwise.

For instance, it's worth noting that the Paducah Sun, which you also reference and which is deservedly considered to be the most conservative daily newspaper in Kentucky, had years to do what the Washington Post finally did. It wasn't until the Sun's hand was forced by the Post that they then began to defensively report the story of workers being exposed to plutonium. For years prior to that the Paducah Sun had been receiving reports from workers about the issue but instead of reporting it they covered it up. Therefore, your quote from the Sun, "...that the Washington Post story was the "first allegation of plutonium use at the plant", is not true.

You never raised the obvious question; why did it finally take a newspaper outside the region to break this story instead of our local media which has had decades to report on PDGP issues as well as access to the same sources that the Post used? At this point The Paducah Sun in particular and their owners, the Paxton Media Group in general, have very little credibility on this issue so your use of them to bolster your argument is a non-starter.

Regarding Rep. Ed Whitfield, as a member of the Citizen's Advisory Board and eventual Chairperson, I met with Ed Whitfield when the Post article came out. Not only did he not know about the plutonium issue, but he didn't know much of anything else about the PGDP either. Considering that the PGDP is the only plant of its kind in the nation and one of the largest economic engines in the state I found Whitfield's ignorance of it to be shocking especially considering that the PGDP is in his district. At that point, it was the first and only time that Whitfield ever met with the Citizen's Advisory Board.

Donham made the correct observation that the Kentucky Congressional delegation in general and McConnell in particular, knew little about plutonium at the plant even though they had ample opportunity to do so. But even worse, based on my experience, they knew next to nothing about the plant in general including the myriad environmental disasters outside of the plutonium issue. The question you never ask is why our elected officials, both Democratic and Republican, were so ignorant of the PDGP in the first place?

Contrary to your opinion, thousands of us in the area knew what was going on long before the Post's expose and after years of the Paducah Sun's blackout of the issue so we were not, as you claim, "in the dark". Furthermore, we had repeatedly complained about it to our Congressional Delegation including McConnell but to no avail. Their willful ignorance and inaction is not Donham's fault but the fault of our elected officials including McConnell who is now playing CYA while pretending that he saved the day.

And in Donham's defense against your ad hominem attacks...he works tirelessly for the environment. In that regard he supports any politician from any political party who will work with him on that issue. It's not his fault that, more often than not, it is the Republican Party that takes anti-environmental positions. McConnell, who is the de-facto leader of the Congressional Republicans, takes the lead on their destructive policies. Which explains Donham's principled opposition to McConnell in contrast to your false charge of partisanship. If McConnell were a Democrat, Donham would still oppose him. And since you brought it up, for that obvious reason Donham isn't opposing Ford because Ford is a Democrat but because he isn't the one running for office.

Moreover, you never noted that Leon Owens' praise of McConnell came long after the fact that prior to the Washington Post article McConnell was AWOL regarding environmental issues at the PGDP. It wasn't until the political pressure from the article forced McConnell's hand, did he begin to finally take note of what was happening in Paducah. So Owens was speaking to McConnell's belated, opportunistic involvement not his prior negligence.

So to paraphrase; your own partisan "screed" against Donham was unfounded. Your efforts would be better served if you put McConnell under the same scrutiny.