Charges Filed Against Another Crooked Republican Who Abused His Authority

Pete Yost for AP reports: Former FDA chief Lester Crawford was charged Monday with lying about his ownership of stock in companies regulated by his agency. The Justice Department accused the former head of the Food and Drug Administration with falsely reporting that he had sold stock in companies when he continued holding onto shares in the firms governed by FDA rules. The criminal charges were outlined in court papers known as an "information," a legal document which ordinarily precedes a guilty plea. The Justice Department's fraud and public corruption section filed the papers in U.S. District Court in Washington. Crawford was scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate Tuesday afternoon. The former FDA chief was accused of making a false writing and conflict of interest.