Kucinich Poisoned

[Razmear]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/07/18/presidential-candidate-hospitalized/

(CNN) — Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich remains hospitalized Wednesday in Ohio after aides say he suffered a severe case of food poisoning.

Kucinich spokesman Andy Juniewicz said the Ohio congressman started feeling ill Sunday before flying to Florida for a campaign appearance. He became sicker in Florida, and was forced to cut the trip short to return to Cleveland.

Juniewicz said he was admitted to a Cleveland-area hospital Monday afternoon, and is being treated for “severe symptoms consistent with food poisoning.”

He said Kucinich was improving, but may remain in the hospital another day or two.

Juniewicz said Kucinich missed votes in the House Monday and Tuesday, but did not have any campaign appearances scheduled. His next planned event is this weekend.

[LizF]

:eek: Strange how that happened, seeing that he's a vegan. I hope he gets better soon.

[Bradley in DC]

This is NOT "Ron Paul News" Please post in the appropriate place

[atilla]

This is NOT "Ron Paul News" Please post in the appropriate place

kucinich is Ron Paul's friend, plus the same people may also be planning to poisen ron Paul (also a vegan)

[mdh]

kucinich is Ron Paul's friend, plus the same people may also be planning to poisen ron Paul (also a vegan)

Same people? I don't see any evidence leading to believe it was intentional. Relax, food poisoning happens all the time.

[Harry96]

kucinich is Ron Paul's friend, plus the same people may also be planning to poisen ron Paul (also a vegan)

Ron Paul is a vegan?

[LibertyEagle]

kucinich is Ron Paul's friend, plus the same people may also be planning to poisen ron Paul (also a vegan)

Ron Paul supporter since 1979

You know, Atilla, it looks really great to see your little picture of the Communists, Castro and Chavez hugging, then your claim of being a Ron Paul supporter. What a nice picture that paints to anyone coming to this site who is taking a look at Dr. Paul. Is that your intention?

[LizF]

Ron Paul is a vegan?

I don't think so. There was an article in "The Spoof" a while back that said he was, so some folks thought it was true since some of the items in the article were true. That's the only place I've seen that mentioned.

[mdh]

I don't think so. There was an article in "The Spoof" a while back that said he was, so some folks thought it was true since some of the items in the article were true. That's the only place I've seen that mentioned.

Hah! I'm calling the campaign folks today anyway, I'll ask. :)

[ne1buthilary]

well his favorite snack is a chocolate chip cookie so i'm going to guess and say he's not.. but who knows

[thuja]

This is NOT "Ron Paul News" Please post in the appropriate place

we are so glad it is not.

[angelatc]

kucinich is Ron Paul's friend, plus the same people may also be planning to poisen ron Paul (also a vegan)

Unless Ron Paul poisoned him, it belongs in the "Other" forum IMHO.

[thuja]

You know, Atilla, it looks really great to see your little picture of the Communists, Castro and Chavez hugging, then your claim of being a Ron Paul supporter. What a nice picture that paints to anyone coming to this site who is taking a look at Dr. Paul. Is that your intention?

are you the police?

[mdh]

Unless Ron Paul poisoned him, it belongs in the "Other" forum IMHO.

If I were a conspiracy theory fan, I may construe your statement along with the fact that it WAS posted in here to mean something. OP, care to explain yourself? :p
Quick, somebody make a youtube vid showing this post and the fact it's in this forum before they cover it up!!

[PatriotOne]

How ironic that DK was the one to start probing the FDA on the pet food poisoning 3 months ago. Looks like he was suspicious that the FDA was falling down on the job and he wanted some serious answers :eek:

http://kucinich.house.gov/news/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=62055

Kucinich Starts Probe of Pet Food Poisoning; Demands Answers From FDA


US Flag and the Captiol Dome


Washington, Apr 2 - WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 2) — Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration today asking pointed questions about the recall of sixty million pet food products.

“Millions of American families have a right to be assured that everything possible is being done to protect the health of their beloved family pets and to determine how in the world the pet food supply could have been contaminated,” Kucinich said. “We must also find out when the FDA officials first learned that our nation’s pets were in danger of being poisoned by their own pet food.”

The letter demands answers regarding the case of toxins aminopterin and melamine used in Menu Foods Income Fund pet food.

The letter Kucinich sent today stated:

April 2, 2007


Stephen F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Director
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Veterinary Medicine
7519 Standish Place, Room 181
Rockville, Maryland 20855-2792

Dear Director Sundlof:

On March 16, 2007 Menu Foods Income Fund instated a recall of “cuts and gravy” style cat and dog food distributed throughout the United States (U.S.). The recall includes a reported sixty million pet food products produced by Menu Foods between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. Press reports indicate that companion animals have died as a result of eating the recalled pet food.

On March 23, 2007 the New York State Department of Agriculture reported that the toxins aminopterin and melamine had been found in samples of the recalled pet food. On Friday March 30, 2007, Paul Henderson, President and CEO of Menu Foods Income Fund stated in a press conference that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had confirmed the presence of the compound Melamine, a chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics, in pet food products recalled by the company on March 16, 2007.

The Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has broad oversight jurisdiction covering many agencies including the FDA. So that I may have a more comprehensive understanding of the circumstances at hand, please provide me with answers to the following questions:

1. When was the FDA first aware of a potential problem regarding Menu Foods products?
2. When was the FDA given confirmation that Menu Foods had produced tainted pet food?
3. Who notified the FDA about the tainted food?
4. How did the FDA initially respond to the notification?
(For questions 1 through 4 please provide all internal records documenting these incidents and the actions taken by the FDA including emails, phone calls, memorandums, etc.).
5. Does the FDA have a preexisting protocol designed to deal with a crisis such as this? If so, what does the protocol entail?
6. When did the FDA begin testing of the tainted pet food and what tests have been performed on the tainted pet food?
7. What are the results of the testing? Include all data and findings collected from these tests.
8. Can the FDA be sure that the tainted pet food does not contain the presence of aminopterin? If so, how?
9. Does the FDA dispute the New York State Department of Agriculture’s finding that the tainted pet food contains aminopterin in addition to melamine?
10. Is the FDA continuing to test the tainted pet food for additional toxins?
11. To your knowledge which other state or federal agencies have tested the tainted pet food?
12. Has the FDA concluded that melamine is the only toxin contained in the tainted pet food?
13. Which ingredients used in the manufacturing of the tainted pet food have been found to be contaminated?
14. What further testing does the FDA feel is necessary to ensure that the tainted food has been thoroughly inspected and all harmful substances identified?
15. Is the FDA concerned that additional Menu Foods products may be contaminated? If so, which products are of concern?
16. How many companion animals have died due to the tainted food?
17. How many companion animals have become ill due to the tainted food?
18. What are the criteria for determining if a companion animal’s illness or death is related to consumption of the tainted food?
19. When were the last inspections of the four Menu Foods manufacturing facilities? Please provide inspections reports for inspections conducted in the last two years.
20. Which Menu Foods factories does the FDA believe are responsible for the production of the tainted pet food? Have those facilities been inspected since the implementation of the recall? Please provide any existing inspection reports.

Additionally, I request your assistance in determining how toxins such as aminopterin and melamine would enter a pet food manufacturing facility and penetrate the pet food products being manufactured therein. Aminopterin is not approved for use in the U.S. as a rat poison, therefore what legal method(s) exist for obtaining the toxin and for what purpose(s)? How much aminopterin would be needed to taint the amount of pet food involved in the recall? Please answer the same questions regarding melamine.

Have there been any previous instances of tainted pet food sold in U.S. markets? Please explain the circumstances and provide documentation as applicable.

I understand that the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is responsible for ensuring the safety of the pet food sold in the United States. Obviously CVM did not approve aminopterin or melamine for use in pet food. Nevertheless, your agency is responsible for guaranteeing that the ingredients in pet foods are safe and provide appropriate function. Therefore, I look forward to your prompt response. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me or Jaron Bourke, Staff Director of the Subcommittee.

Sincerely,
/S/
Dennis J. Kucinich
Chairman
Subcommittee on Domestic Policy
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

[princessredtights]

How ironic that DK was the one to start probing the FDA on the pet food poisoning 3 months ago. Looks like he was suspicious that the FDA was falling down on the job and he wanted some serious answers :eek:

http://kucinich.house.gov/news/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=62055

Kucinich Starts Probe of Pet Food Poisoning; Demands Answers From FDA


US Flag and the Captiol Dome


Washington, Apr 2 - WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 2) — Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration today asking pointed questions about the recall of sixty million pet food products.

“Millions of American families have a right to be assured that everything possible is being done to protect the health of their beloved family pets and to determine how in the world the pet food supply could have been contaminated,” Kucinich said. “We must also find out when the FDA officials first learned that our nation’s pets were in danger of being poisoned by their own pet food.”

The letter demands answers regarding the case of toxins aminopterin and melamine used in Menu Foods Income Fund pet food.

The letter Kucinich sent today stated:

April 2, 2007


Stephen F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Director
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Veterinary Medicine
7519 Standish Place, Room 181
Rockville, Maryland 20855-2792

Dear Director Sundlof:

On March 16, 2007 Menu Foods Income Fund instated a recall of “cuts and gravy” style cat and dog food distributed throughout the United States (U.S.). The recall includes a reported sixty million pet food products produced by Menu Foods between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. Press reports indicate that companion animals have died as a result of eating the recalled pet food.

On March 23, 2007 the New York State Department of Agriculture reported that the toxins aminopterin and melamine had been found in samples of the recalled pet food. On Friday March 30, 2007, Paul Henderson, President and CEO of Menu Foods Income Fund stated in a press conference that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had confirmed the presence of the compound Melamine, a chemical used in the manufacturing of plastics, in pet food products recalled by the company on March 16, 2007.

The Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has broad oversight jurisdiction covering many agencies including the FDA. So that I may have a more comprehensive understanding of the circumstances at hand, please provide me with answers to the following questions:

1. When was the FDA first aware of a potential problem regarding Menu Foods products?
2. When was the FDA given confirmation that Menu Foods had produced tainted pet food?
3. Who notified the FDA about the tainted food?
4. How did the FDA initially respond to the notification?
(For questions 1 through 4 please provide all internal records documenting these incidents and the actions taken by the FDA including emails, phone calls, memorandums, etc.).
5. Does the FDA have a preexisting protocol designed to deal with a crisis such as this? If so, what does the protocol entail?
6. When did the FDA begin testing of the tainted pet food and what tests have been performed on the tainted pet food?
7. What are the results of the testing? Include all data and findings collected from these tests.
8. Can the FDA be sure that the tainted pet food does not contain the presence of aminopterin? If so, how?
9. Does the FDA dispute the New York State Department of Agriculture’s finding that the tainted pet food contains aminopterin in addition to melamine?
10. Is the FDA continuing to test the tainted pet food for additional toxins?
11. To your knowledge which other state or federal agencies have tested the tainted pet food?
12. Has the FDA concluded that melamine is the only toxin contained in the tainted pet food?
13. Which ingredients used in the manufacturing of the tainted pet food have been found to be contaminated?
14. What further testing does the FDA feel is necessary to ensure that the tainted food has been thoroughly inspected and all harmful substances identified?
15. Is the FDA concerned that additional Menu Foods products may be contaminated? If so, which products are of concern?
16. How many companion animals have died due to the tainted food?
17. How many companion animals have become ill due to the tainted food?
18. What are the criteria for determining if a companion animal’s illness or death is related to consumption of the tainted food?
19. When were the last inspections of the four Menu Foods manufacturing facilities? Please provide inspections reports for inspections conducted in the last two years.
20. Which Menu Foods factories does the FDA believe are responsible for the production of the tainted pet food? Have those facilities been inspected since the implementation of the recall? Please provide any existing inspection reports.

Additionally, I request your assistance in determining how toxins such as aminopterin and melamine would enter a pet food manufacturing facility and penetrate the pet food products being manufactured therein. Aminopterin is not approved for use in the U.S. as a rat poison, therefore what legal method(s) exist for obtaining the toxin and for what purpose(s)? How much aminopterin would be needed to taint the amount of pet food involved in the recall? Please answer the same questions regarding melamine.

Have there been any previous instances of tainted pet food sold in U.S. markets? Please explain the circumstances and provide documentation as applicable.

I understand that the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is responsible for ensuring the safety of the pet food sold in the United States. Obviously CVM did not approve aminopterin or melamine for use in pet food. Nevertheless, your agency is responsible for guaranteeing that the ingredients in pet foods are safe and provide appropriate function. Therefore, I look forward to your prompt response. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me or Jaron Bourke, Staff Director of the Subcommittee.

Sincerely,
/S/
Dennis J. Kucinich
Chairman
Subcommittee on Domestic Policy
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Now THAT'S just a creepy "coincidence" :eek:

[Thatguyuknow]

Kucinich poisoned? Hah I guess Hillary Clinton showed him.

[angelatc]

I hate the FDA. I'm certainly not a proponent of getting them any more involved in dog food issues.

Salmonella from produce is pretty common in vegan circles. There's a chili sauce in the news today that has 200 people sick. Not sure if it's meatless though.

[WannaBfree]

Don't forget about the 'General Politics & Other' section (where this should have been posted). Often interesting stuff over there.

[Man from La Mancha]

A good way to beat food poisoning which is bad bacteria is introduce a lot of good bacteria. Such as pro biotics available in many health food stores. When ever I get an upset stomach I think is food related to bacteria I just take a 3-4 higher dose of good bacteria and within an hour I'm feeling good.

[Razmear]

There's a chili sauce in the news today that has 200 people sick. Not sure if it's meatless though.

It's not meatless, I ate some yesterday before learning about the botulism this morning.
The can's I have are dated june 8th, about 10 days newer than the recall dates announced, which does not fill me with confidence.

eb

[torchbearer]

You can get food posoining for vegetables.. in fact, you may be more likely to get food poisoning from vegetables because they are not cooked as thoroughly as meat products.
It was most likely accidental. Only if Kucinich was leading the polls would i consider it a possible intentional poisoning.