Delay of USDA Hunger Report Until After Elections

ABC News’ Gigi Stone reports: While there has been widespread criticism about the administration concealing bad news about the war for poltical reasons, there is now a growing chorus of concern this has become a strategy in other areas as well. Government watch dogs and Democrats point to the recent revelations about internal IRS memoranda that suggest that the IRS was intentionally delaying enforcement actions to insulate Republicans standing for reelection.

NOW questions are being raised by Democrats about whether political motivations have delayed the U.S. Department of Agriculture  from releasing its annual hunger report, which is expected to show that the number of hungry Americans is on the rise under President’s Bush watch.   The report entitled "Household Food Security in the United States" is compiled by USDA’s Economic Research Service and has historically been released in October of each year, a month after the Census Bureau releases its report on poverty.  In 2004, the USDA also delayed release of this report, prompting criticism from Sen. John Kerry and hunger advocates.