Eight consumers groups have united to oppose the nomination of Michael Baroody for the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Baroody is the executive vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, which has consistently worked to undermine the very efforts of the organization Bush knighted Baroody to helm.

While Baroody worked at NAM, they:

• Opposed a CPSC proposal to improve safety standards for baby walkers. Instead, NAM blamed parents for improperly supervising their children;
• Opposed a petition from consumer organizations to improve the way the consumers find out about recalls of potentially dangerous children’s products;
• Supported diluting guidelines companies used to determine whether they must report substantial product hazards; and
• Urged New York Governor George Pataki to veto legislation that mandated fire safe cigarettes

Concerned consumers should write their Senator and ask for thumbs down during Baroody’s confirmation hearing, tentatively scheduled for May 3rd. — BEN POPKEN

The Wrong Person for the Job: Consumer Groups Express Concern about Nominee to Head Consumer Product Safety Commission (PDF) [Citizen.org via Consumer Reports On Safety]

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