Michael Moore Claims Political Reasons for Treasury Probe

Michael Moore defied the Bush administration to call off an investigation of his trip to Cuba to get treatment for ailing Sept. 11 rescue workers for a segment of his upcoming documentary, Sicko.

Moore published a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Friday, saying that the investigation was called for political reasons.

"For five and a half years, the Bush administration has ignored and neglected the heroes of the 9/11 community," said Moore in the letter published on the Liberal web site Daily Kos. "These heroic first responders have been left to fend for themselves, without coverage and without care.

"I understand why the Bush administration is coming after me - I have tried to help the very people they refuse to help, but until George W. Bush outlaws helping your fellow man, I have broken no laws and I have nothing to hide."

Harvey Weinstein, whose company is releasing Moore's documentary, told the Associated Press that the movie is a "healing film" and that it could bring opponents together over the ills of America's health care system.

This time, we didn't want the fight, because the movie unites both sides," Weinstein said. "We've shown the movie to Republicans. Both sides of the bench love the film. The pharmaceutical industry won't like the movie. HMOs will try to run us out of town, but that's not relevant to the situation."