Houston Democrats

Both Tommy Hook's wife and lawyer believe the attack to be an effort to silence him. Hook is now hospitalized with a broken jaw, including other injuries (Click here for an image).

Hook was found by police at 2 am Sunday in the parking lot of the Cheeks Night Club. The police had received a call reporting an assault. The attack appears not to be a robbery because none of the assailants took Hook's wallet, other personal belongings, or his car. Hook's wife said that he did not frequent bars. The police and FBI continue to investigate the beating.

His wife reports that the assailants said:

If you know what's good for you, you'll keep your mouth shut.

Hook, along with another Los Alamos employee, made allegations regarding financial irregularities at the lab and that they had discovered management failures. The first allegation was made in 1997. Hook has complained for several years about lab management. In 1997, he testified that the audit division chief "didn't want to see certaint things put in reports," such as "unallowable costs" and "embarrassment to the university."

Once they made their allegations public, the two reported that other university and lab managers tried to get them to quit by making their jobs miserable.

The University of California and the Los Alamos lab issued a statement stating, "Director Kuckuck, the University of California and the laboratory believe that any form of physical violence toward an individual is unacceptable." Ken Roark, the spokeman for the Los Alamos lab, said the attack was a "senseless and brutal act and should not be tolerated."

Hmmm, sounds like there is potential for a new Deep Throat over this issue.