Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3315309&page=1

Whitman Defends Reputation, Says EPA Protected 9-11 Recovery Workers

By JAKE TAPPER

June 25, 2007 —

Christie Todd Whitman, the former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, appeared on Capitol Hill Monday to try to save her reputation amid charges that she gave the public false information immediately following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks about the air quality at the site of the former World Trade Center, saying it was safe.

"There was an environment in the period after Sept 11 where many things that were told to us by our government turned out to be wrong," charged Rep Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y. "Perhaps none were so damaging to the health and the lives of the people in New York City than the ones that were made by our witness here today."

But Whitman insisted that criticism of her was not fair. "Let's be clear. There are people to blame. They are the terrorists who attacked the United States," she said. "Not the men and woman at all levels of government who worked heroically to protect this country."