Bryan Gentry of the Lynchburg News and Advance stepped back into the Peanut Corporation of America Salmonella outbreak now coming up on the two-year anniversary of the announcement of the outbreak that sickened over 700 and killed nine with his article – “Parnell hopes to move on after Peanut Corp. probe.”

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Although I like his smooth talking, whiskey drinking, criminal attorney, Bill Gust, I completely disagree that “Parnell wrongfully lost his reputation because politicians and Salmonella victims wanted someone to blame, and lawyers wanted someone to sue. Stewart was simply grist for the political mill,” he said. “… Stewart has been vilified as the source of all of their family suffering. Frankly, I think that’s unfair.”

I say, BULLSHIT!

As I said to Gentry:

Bill Marler, a lawyer who led numerous Salmonella victims in suits against PCA, favors punishment for Parnell.

He also supports the food safety bill signed into law by President Obama this month. The law had wide support in part because of PCA, he said.

“The PCA outbreak was so large and so outrageous … that it gave some impetus for business and consumers to sort of stick together on it,” Marler said. …

Meanwhile, a bigger budget for the FDA was one thing Marler wanted. He attended the hearing with some of his clients, who testified about salmonella poisoning.

Later that year, the House of Representatives approved a bill to expand the FDA’s powers and budget. “I think that the PCA outbreak was that last outbreak that pushed the House into voting on that bill,” Marler said.

The bill lets the FDA conduct more inspections and force recalls of infected products, Marler said.

Now that the bill has passed the Senate and the president’s desk, Marler wants the new Congress to budget money for the bill’s programs.

He is not optimistic about that prospect, he said.

He said the FDA needs to step up enforcement. While Marler believes Parnell violated food safety laws, he also said there have been other outbreaks involving worse wrongdoing without criminal charges.

“If you’re going to prosecute Stewart Parnell … you should start prosecuting a lot of other people. And I think that’s what should happen.”…

It really is time to adequately fund the FDA and to prosecute the CEO’s who allow their companies to poison us.