Protest US government officials’ obstruction of justice and fraud in remediation and redevelopment of Hunters Point and Treasure Island

SF-Mayor-Willie-Brown-US-Navy-Secy-Gordon-England-sign-legislation-re-Hunters-Point-Treasure-Island-Naval-Base-as-Sen.-Feinstein-Rep.-Pelosi-watch-2002-web, Protest US government officials’ obstruction of justice and fraud in remediation and redevelopment of Hunters Point and Treasure Island, Local News & Views
In 2002, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and U.S. Navy Secretary Gordon England sign legislation regarding transfer of Treasure Island-Hunters Point Naval Base as Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Nancy Pelosi watch. – Photo courtesy of Wikipedia


by Steve Zeltzer and Carol Harvey

On Monday, April 16, at 11 a.m. at the U.S. Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Ave. in San Francisco, United Public Workers for Action and concerned citizens will hold a press conference calling on San Francisco’s U.S. Attorney, whose offices are in the building, to begin a criminal investigation and prosecution of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Speakers will provide documentation demonstrating that these two U.S. government officials perpetrated obstruction of justice and fraud against the people of San Francisco, the state of California and the United States.

Evidence will be presented that Congresswoman Pelosi and Sen. Feinstein, motivated by numerous financial conflicts of interest in redevelopment projects at both former Naval bases, have refused to investigate the massive $1 billion fraud by the Navy and Tetra Tech in their botched and faked cleanups of both Hunters Point and Treasure Island.

The fact that Feinstein and Pelosi have not said a word about the botched cleanup data is a smoking gun that they’re involved in collusion and in crimes against the American people.

These two politicians, in their zeal to rake in billions from the Treasure Island and Hunters Point developments, turned a blind eye when the Navy, Tetra Tech and Test America faked Hunters Point and Treasure Island tests and continued to waste over a billion dollars in taxpayer money on supposed remediation.

The fact that Feinstein and Pelosi have not said a word about the botched cleanup data is a smoking gun that they’re involved in collusion and in crimes against the American people. These two politicians, in their zeal to rake in billions from the Treasure Island and Hunters Point developments, turned a blind eye when the Navy, Tetra Tech and Test America faked Hunters Point and Treasure Island tests and continued to waste over a billion dollars in taxpayer money on supposed remediation.

A web of corruption and collusion has been uncovered among political profiteers, Naval officials, contractors and developers. All must be held accountable.

The federal government and the Navy are fully aware that complete cleanup of these former Naval bases is impossible. First, the cost is too high. Second, Naval officials admit that radiation can never be removed.

The Navy knows that Treasure Island, which it contaminated over decades with cesium-137, plutonium-beryllium and other radioactive materials, as well as chemicals, asbestos, toxic mold and lead, can never be completely cleaned and that these poisons are leaching into and polluting San Francisco Bay.

On Hunters Point, the Navy hired an independent consultant who determined that 50 percent of the tests on the $1 billion project were faked. Tetra Tech, a contractor receiving hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. Navy for remediation of both Hunters Point and Treasure Island, then proceeded to fire seven health and safety inspectors because they reported the coverup and violations of the law.

Investigators and attorneys working with whistleblowers at both former naval bases learned that Test America Quality Assurance Manager Michael Madry discovered falsified testing at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and Treasure Island sites. Test America then bullied and fired him. Madry then reported his findings to Congresswoman Pelosi.

Federal OSHA Investigator and lawyer Darrell Whitman at the OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program, investigated Madry’s case and found merit that he had been retaliated against for reporting health and safety violations. Whitman was then bullied and illegally terminated by OSHA and the Department of Labor for refusing to change his report on Michael Madry.

Madry then sent information about the corruption to Sen. Feinstein. She responded but refused to investigate or defend him against the illegal harassment and termination.

It is well-known that exposure to radiation and chemicals at both contaminated sites is suspect in the development of cancers, tumors and respiratory diseases among Treasure Island and Hunters Point residents. At Treasure Island, asbestos insulation and mold clogs the walls of aging Navy homes to which poor and people of color – in a colossal example of environmental classism, racism and human rights abuses – were forced to move.

The public relations purpose was to “solve” San Francisco’s homeless crisis. The actual agenda was to use their subsidized rents to maintain and redevelop the island. Now that these renters have outlived their financial usefulness, they are being subjected to rolling evictions as John Stewart dumps many of them back on San Francisco’s streets to make way for wealthier condo and home owners.

Poor and people of color – in a colossal example of environmental classism, racism and human rights abuses – were forced to move to Treasure Island to “solve” San Francisco’s homeless crisis. The actual agenda was to use their subsidized rents to maintain and redevelop the island. Now that these renters have outlived their financial usefulness, they are being subjected to rolling evictions as John Stewart dumps many of them back on San Francisco’s streets to make way for wealthier condo and home owners.

Citizens attempting to expose and combat this corruption hit continual brick walls erected by politicians who have covered this up – Gavin Newsom, Willie Brown, Ed Lee and Jane Kim, supervisor of District 6, in which Treasure Island is located.

Why haven’t San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of California Alex G. Tse, former California Attorney General Kamala Harris and current California Attorney General Xavier Beccera launched investigations and prosecuted these crimes against the people of San Francisco, California and the United States?

Both Sen. Feinstein and Congresswoman Pelosi have ignored and suppressed investigations of the termination of the seven whistleblowers by Tetra Tech.

And, Tetra Tech has never been criminally prosecuted.

If public officials who are aware of the coverup continue to engage in their inexcusable silence, refusing to investigate and prosecute this malfeasance, they should be removed from office for obstruction of justice and imprisoned.

None of these public officials have met their responsibility to protect the interests and people of San Francisco, California and the United States in this massive criminal fraud and obstruction of justice. All must be held accountable.

As candidates run for the Senate – Feinstein’s seat is up for grabs – and Congress and San Francisco mayor, they need to call for a moratorium, investigation and prosecution of these political criminals.

United Public Workers for Action and concerned citizens are calling on voters, taxpayers and candidates running for office during this election cycle 2018 to demand:

  1. An immediate moratorium on any further cleanup and development at both bases;
  2. A halt to all funds – U.S., state and local – to developers, Treasure Island Development Authority, FivePoint and Lennar;
  3. A halt to all funds from the U.S. Navy to all contractors;
  4. A halt to all federal contracts with Test America.
  5. A halt to all federal money to the syndicate, Tetra Tech. The people need to demand that contracts with Tetra Tech be placed on hold while a national criminal investigation against this contractor is conducted.

Carol Harvey is a San Francisco political journalist specializing in human rights and civil rights. She can be reached at carolharvey1111@gmail.com.