WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV today sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood expressing new concerns about an investigative report that the offices of Senator Charles Grassley and Chairman Darrell Issa released last September. The Grassley-Issa report alleged that senior Amtrak officials violated various federal laws when they “removed” former Amtrak Inspector General Fred Weiderhold from his post in June 2009. A new independent review of this matter, conducted by the Office of Inspector General, contradicts the central findings of the Grassley-Issa report and reveals other troubling errors and omissions in the report.

In his letter to Secretary LaHood, Chairman Rockefeller writes: “It is regrettable that so much government time and money has been spent responding to this flawed report. It is even more regrettable that the report was used as a basis to accuse two senior Amtrak officials of breaking the law.”

The letter concludes by saying: “It is my sincere hope that the DOT IG’s review finally puts this matter to rest, and that we can once again focus our full attention on building a rail network that will help fuel our country’s growth in the 21st century.”

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