watchdog group says that computer equipment at the Corps of Engineers
has been used to send messages attacking her group on a couple of
Internet blogs they operate.
SNIP
Among the
comments were one that said local people had blocked the Corps’ wishes
and thus locals are responsible for the flooding. Another was more
blunt.
“Sure, blame the Corps for
the floodwall failures,” it read. “But who do you blame for your own
stupidity for putting your families in such a situation?”
The comments prompted Rosenthal to try to find where the e-mails were
coming from. She said she plugged the screen names into an Internet
search that showed they were coming from a computer at the Corps’
office.
“This is the use of
taxpayer money for none other than… these are attempts at
intimidation,” she said. “The statements are going after me and all I
am is a citizen.”
The Corps responded with a written statement.
“There are over 1,600 people working at the Army Corps of Engineers New
Orleans District to reduce risk for the metro New Orleans area. As
each day passes, we are reducing risk. This isolated incident involved
one person out of 1600 people that make up the New Orleans District.”
Rosenthal said she thinks the use of multiple names and IP addresses
indicate that more than one person is behind the posts.