Rep. Katherine Harris' (R-Fla.) Senate campaign hasn't exactly gotten off to a good start. Dems are anxious to remind voters about Harris' role in stealing a presidential election, while Republicans are openly recruiting other candidates to run against her in a GOP primary.
But Harris' policy work is also open to scrutiny. As my friend John at C&L, and alert reader K.B., noted, Harris has used to her office to generate support for some fairly bizarre ideas.
Four years ago, as the state labored to eradicate citrus canker by destroying trees, officials rejected other disease-fighting techniques, saying unproven methods would waste precious time and resources.
But for more than six months, the state, at the behest of then-Secretary of State Katherine Harris, did pursue one alternative method — a very alternative method.
Researchers worked with a rabbi and a cardiologist to test "Celestial Drops," promoted as a canker inhibitor because of its "improved fractal design," "infinite levels of order" and "high energy and low entropy."
But the cure proved useless against canker. That's because it was water — possibly, mystically blessed water.
The "product is a hoax and not based on any credible known science," the state's chief of entomology, nematology and plant pathology wrote to agriculture officials and fellow scientists after testing Celestial Drops in October 2001.
Every time there's any kind of natural dilemma such as a drought or canker outbreak, crackpots will approach government officials to offer their "assistance." The appropriate response is to politely thank them for the offer, decline the invitation, and not make any sudden movements.
Katherine Harris, however, heard about treating citrus canker with mystically blessed water and proceeded to encourage officials in Florida to consider the idea, work with its proponents, and develop test protocols for these so-called Celestial Drops.
Keep in mind, this wasn't just a member of Congress writing a form letter as a respectful gesture to a constituent. Harris urged state agriculture officials to work with New York Rabbi Abe Hardoon and his associates on his Celestial Drop proposal.
And she made sure there was follow-up.
State records…suggest Harris had a keen interest in the project.
She was repeatedly sent copies of the letters and memos bouncing between Florida canker officials and Hardoon. In August 2001, Harris herself jotted a note to Hardoon. "I would love to see this work," it says.
All the while, some canker researchers questioned why they were cooperating with Hardoon when he had produced little evidence that Celestial Drops worked. In one memo, a University of Florida citrus scientist suggested agriculture officials had been "put in a politically difficult position." It did not say by whom.
Better yet, confronted with the problem this week, Harris contacted Hardoon to inquire about the situation. Harris said Hardoon blamed Celestial Drops' poor test performance on state scientists.
"He said they didn't follow the proper protocols," Harris said.
Of course not. Perhaps Bigfoot interfered with the control sample and a unicorn messed up the testing procedures.
