Posted on 06/06/2005 6:52:41 PM PDT by CHARLITE
A Los Alamos whistleblower scheduled to testify before congress later this month is now in the hospital, according to news reports. Auditor Tommy Hook was brutally beaten by three or four anonymous assailants who allegedly ordered him to keep quiet.
On Saturday night, Hook went to a Santa Fe bar ostensibly to meet a person claiming to be a fellow Los Alamos whistleblower that called that night. When the person did not show, Hook left the bar after consuming two drinks.
In the parking lot, he was yanked out of his car and beaten so badly by the three or four men that he had to be taken to intensive care at a local emergency room.
Reportedly, Hook did not provoke these men. The men concentrated on kicking his head, and Hook's family has opined that the men would have killed him if it hadn't been for a club employee, who ran from the club and broke up the beating.
Congressional staff members were set to arrive Tuesday in Los Alamos to investigate Hook's allegations of malfeasance at the lab.
Tommy Hook remains hospitalized with severe trauma to his face and head, including a fractured jaw and a herniated disk. The FBI has been called-in to investigate the attack, and Hook is currently under close protective custody.
Congress Warned of Ill Treatment of Hook
Last March, Danielle Brian, Executive Director Project On Government Oversight (POGO) testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations regarding a review of security initiatives at DOE Nuclear Weapons Facilities.
He especially focused on Hook and another whisterblower:
"I would be remiss if I did not report to the Committee that, while not a part of former Secretary Abraham's initiatives, the treatment of whistleblowers throughout the complex remains abysmal. Retaliation remains the norm, not the exception, as can be seen in the case of Tommy Hook and Chuck Montano, who have both worked at Los Alamos for decades.
"After the Committee's three hearings on financial fraud at Los Alamos, the University of California was telling the public that all was resolved, while at the same time retaliating against these two men who knew otherwise. Hook and Montano were responsible for providing audit support for UC and uncovered ongoing irregularities and outright misconduct amounting to millions of taxpayer dollars.
"Their audit reports were withheld from DOE. Their treatment? Their work was taken away from them, they were given no work for nine months, and now they are only being handed menial assignments. Even the head of the Los Alamos Site Office tried to intervene on Tommy Hook's behalf, only to be rebuffed by an arrogant University of California."
According to a report in Exec.com, Susan Hook, the victim's wife, Bob Rothstein, his attorney, and Montano confirmed that Hook was at the club to meet with another employee who claimed to have information that would support charges of wrongdoing.
Susan Hook and Montano further alleged that the assault was absolutely connected to Tommy Hook's impending testimony:
"When they were beating him up, they were telling him ... 'If you know what is good for you, you will keep your mouth shut,'" said Susan Hook.
Rothstein recalled that a person claiming to be an auditor from Los Alamos had contacted Hook a week before and had offered to share information about financial issues at the laboratory. Rothstein said that one meeting had already fallen through, but the second was arranged on Saturday night at the strip club.
The nightclub's doorman ran into the parking lot and broke up the attack, according to a club employee who witnessed the beating. The employee said Hook was assaulted by a group of men.
Joint Investigation
Called to the scene, FBI Special Agent Bill Elwell confirmed that federal agents are investigating with Santa Fe police officers. He said they are "still trying to figure out" what happened at the nightclub. "We are looking into the allegations made by Mr. Hook," Elwell said.
Los Alamos issued a statement:
"The University of California and the laboratory are outraged that a laboratory employee was the victim of a weekend assault in Santa Fe. Director [Robert] Kuckuck was made aware of the attack this morning and expressed his hope that the individual will make a quick recovery"
"Director Kuckuck, the University of California and the laboratory believe that any form of physical violence toward an individual is unacceptable. The laboratory is in contact with the Santa Fe Police Department and is providing the laboratory's full support and cooperation with the ongoing investigation."
Susan Hooks said that her husband's wallet and car were not taken.
Clintonistas?
ex-police investigators Glenn Walp and Steve Doran--hired to investigate fraud at Los Alamos--were fired when they began uncovering fraud--the job they were hired to do
"here's a partial list of some of the things Bussolini and Alexander bought on your dime [at Los Alamos National Laboratory]
5 Genesis Gold barbeque gas grills
1 19" Panasonic television/VCR combination set
4 Cobra 75 WV CB radios
3 30 Watt solar panels
3 automatic double gate openers w/ remotes
2 Wyoming saws
8 picnic tables
4 sage-colored Cabela Deluxe Arm Chair
38 chamois shirts
15 pairs of thinsulate gloves
152 assorted knives, including 8 "SOG M37 Seal Pup Knives"
13 motorcycle helmets
12 headlamps
5 ULT Command Center monitors
24 camping lanterns
4 olive drab ATV covers
1 Carhart XXXL coat
3 pair New Balance hiking boots
15 sleeping bags
4 sleeping pads
4 reclining loungers
4 "Portable Buddy Heaters"
6 parkas
5 "Portable Catalytic Heaters"
4 "Pocket Chain Saws"
4 "Deluxe Ratchet Pruners"
6 knife-sharpeners
6 Magellan Map 330M GPS units
8 pocket & micro torches
3 goretex jackets
4 stand-up heaters
3 pairs of "Polarized Lenses"
4 Rangesafe Ear Muffs
4 "Ultimate 10 Hearing Protectors"
******
From the looks of the list they were furnishing a hunting camp!
Kinda light for a crime that carries the death penalty.
Quick recovery? That guy's going to be hurting for a while. Whoever's responsible needs to pay.
Fairness wants me to believe the tale yet I think he got caught chasing some tail.......
Look for Clinton.
that's a serious ass whipping.
i've seen a few like that.
never had one or given one to that severity.
going down and taking all that head abuse....real easy to kill a man without meaning to
he's lucky somebody intervened.
I dunno.
I've known folks deserved a hospital ass whipping.
Don't know this gent though.
Four on one ain't fair but adult fights rarely are.
Sounds like Jimmy Hoffa to me.
Only a one sentence response, but curiously omitted is any concern for catching the perps.
Lee was never convicted of anything that remotely carried the death penalty. However, he was threatened with that if he did not take the plea bargain.
Why in the world would this guy go to meet with anyone. Is he undertaking his own investigation or something. Foolish move. Glad he wasn't killed.
You sound like a wise one. That's not far fetched, when you think about it.
Very succinct observation, and might be true. I wouldn't be surprised at anything the Clintons might do - not a thing........and we aren't even into Her Royal Thighness's '08 campaign yet. Mortuaries ought to stock up on supplies.
Char (:
Could this be another candidate for Alamo Girl's "list"?
Al Capone showed more mercy.
And three armed IPSC competitors.
Don't you believe it.
The crime that he committed carried the death penalty, regardless of what he plead. An incompetent investigation and prosecution allowed this. Just because o.j. simpson was found not guilty of a double murder doesn't mean he didn't do it.
Glock 30 is a better choice. :)
If he was determined as someone who needed to be sent a message to keep his pie hole shut, an ass whippin like this would not be the method of choice by anyone who thought it was vital to our National Security Interest. Dead Men do not talk, and these poor fellow has more to spill about his past that this article is reporting about
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