Representative Bogdanoff’s Letter To Fdot’s Kopelousos Regarding Sncf Rail Bid

Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff (R-Fort Lauderdale), today sent the attached letter to Stephanie Kopelousos, Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), highlighting concerns centered on the matter reported by the Associated Press regarding Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer Francais (SNCF), their bid to build high speed rail in Florida, and their history with Holocaust atrocities during World War II.

In her letter, Representative Bogdanoff brings attention to the fact that between 1941 and 1944, 3,000 wagons that were originally designed for the transportation of cattle were actually used by the SNCF to transport Jews to Nazi death camps.  This is according to a study by French historian Christian Bachelier and ordered by SNCF in 1996.

The text of Representative Bogdanoff’s letter follows:

Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos
Florida Department of Transportation
605 Suwannee Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Dear Secretary Kopelousos:

I am writing to ask for your immediate attention to the matter reported by the Associated Press regarding SNCF, their bid on the opportunity to build high speed rail in Florida, and their most unfortunate history with the Holocaust during World War II.

By the account in this story, we learn that SNCF allegedly profited by delivering tens of thousands of Jewish prisoners to their brutal deaths in concentration camps.  While the company argues that they were coerced, there remain unanswered questions in this matter demanding the full attention of your office.

I have grave concerns if the reported stories bear out to be true.  Simply put, there should be no length of time after which we disregard a company’s history of partnership in the genocidal acts of Nazi Germany.  At a minimum, SNCF should respond to requests for transparency and open their financial and other records from the time period in question for inspection by concerned organizations.

Requirements from the state of California along these very lines underscore the widespread concern about this company on this issue.

Should your office find that SNCF did, in fact, profit from the transport of Jewish prisoners to execution, then I respectfully ask that you use any and all options at your disposal for removing this company from consideration for the building of high speed rail or any other transportation projects in Florida.

In general, state purchasing demands a reinforcement of public trust, with rules and procedures for ensuring that state tax dollars are spent as wisely, transparently, and carefully as possible.  Specifically in this case, the taxpayers must be assured that no vendor doing work on projects for the State of Florida was an agent in carrying out the Holocaust.

Sincerely,

(signed)

Ellyn Bogdanoff
State Representative – District 91
Ellyn.Bogdanoff@myfloridahouse.gov