RALPH HOAR
IN MEMORIAM

Raging Hoar Moans
It's A Wonderful Life--If You Don't Die Laughing

Every time it seems that life in these parts can't get more absurd: It does. There comes a point at which nothing surprises. A recent prize winner was our discovery that two of NHTSA's former chief lawyers from the law and order gang that rode into town in the 1980's had forgotten everything they once claimed to know about the law and government ethics.

It must have been priceless. There they were on Ford's dime (or so).  Erika ('that's Ms Jones to you') and Paul Jackson Rice and two other legal eagles coming to call on NHTSA's ethics poohbah. I can hear it now: "Uh, well uh, our client, uh you know, Ford Motor Company has been paying General Curry $340 an hour to tell small groups of people around the country, you know, uh well, juries that the Bronco II is more stable than the ruble and he knows that because, well just trust us, it was nothing that he learned while he worked here as Administrator, you know. Besides Ford is doing a public service, because if the General couldn't talk about what he didn't learn as Administrator he'd be unemployable." 

"Well, yes. Together we served more than ten years running NHTSA's legal affairs but that doesn't mean we learned anything about ethics. So what do you think? Well, yes he's been doing this for three or four years now so we thought we'd just check in with you to make sure everything's well, you know. Oh, and one more thing. This visit is just between us girls, ok?"

Might there also be a Steed in that General direction?

OPTSF422

5/31/97