Jaczko should be removed from post

Jean Younker, Las Vegas

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

Your defense of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko’s behavior in your editorial about the Wednesday hearing, in which all five commissioners testified, was shocking.

There had already been an internal NRC inspector general’s report that Chairman Jaczko created a “chilled” environment where scientists and engineers were fearful for their jobs if they presented conclusions that were not aligned with the chairman’s views.

Then his fellow commissioners, who are individuals with excellent credentials, described the same behavior under oath.

I believe there is no worse offense than for scientific information to be tainted by the views of organization management — this should not happen anywhere, let alone in the United States. Intimidation, harassment and fear of retribution should never exist in the workplace, whether in a public or private organization.

There is no excuse for Chairman Jaczko still having a job.