Scott Bloch, who heads the Office of Special Counsel, has been the subject of an on-going campaign to discredit him. At issue are his policy decisions and hiring practices. The Catholic League has been critical of his main adversary, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, because the group has slighted Bloch for hiring Roman Catholics. But now the campaign has gotten even uglier: an aide to Congressman Eliot Engel has literally cited Bloch’s status as “a devout Catholic” as a reason for opposing him.
Accordingly, Catholic League president William Donohue sent the following letter to Congressman Engel on April 27:
Hon. Eliot L. Engel
2161 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative Engel:
As a New Yorker, I am familiar with your record as a congressman. One of your outstanding qualities is your opposition to bigotry in any form. Unfortunately, there is someone on your staff who is besmirching your reputation. To be specific, I am referring to Peter Leon: he has been quoted as opposing Scott Bloch, who heads the Office of Special Counsel, because Bloch is “a devout Catholic” (see enclosed).
If someone on my staff were to oppose a Jewish person on your staff because he was “a devout Jew,” I’d fire him. I would like to hear from you what you are going to do about Mr. Leon.
Sincerely,
William A. Donohue, Ph.D.
President
