Emails Show Peanut Butter Exec Knew of Issues

Stewart Parnell showed up at the hearing, before the Senate Committee on Energy and Commerce but pleaded the Fifth, and refused to answer any questions.

However, an internal email from Parnell to his plant manager said everything Congress needed to know:

"Turn them loose," referring to products that once failed testing but were cleared in a second test last year.

The emails disclosed at the hearing are archived at the Committee's website here.

One email from Parnell to Sammy Lightsey said:

We need to discuss this ... the time lapse, besldes the cost is costing use huge $$$$$ and causing obviously a huge lapse in time from the time we pick up the peanuts until the time we can invoice ...

Obviously the bottom line was more important than safety.

Ironically, news of the ninth death in the outbreak, an elderly woman in Ohio, came as the hearing was being held.