Recording Reveals Oil Industry Execs Laughing at Trump Access

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico



The tape of a private meeting was made shortly after the lawyer for an influential industry group was tapped for a high-level post at the Department of the Interior.

By LANCE WILLIAMS March 23, 2019

Lance Williams is a senior reporter for Reveal, focusing on money and politics.

Gathered for a private meeting at a beachside Ritz-Carlton in Southern California, the oil executives were celebrating a colleague’s sudden rise. David Bernhardt, their former lawyer, had been appointed by President Donald Trump to the powerful No. 2 spot at the Department of the Interior.

Just five months into the Trump era, the energy developers who make up the Independent Petroleum Association of America had already watched the new president order a sweeping overhaul of environmental regulations that were cutting into their bottom lines — rules concerning smog, fracking and endangered species protection.

Dan Naatz, the association’s political director, told the conference room audience of about 100 executives that Bernhardt’s new role meant their priorities would be heard at the highest levels of Interior.

“We know him very well, and we have direct access to him, have conversations with him about issues ranging from federal land access to endangered species, to a lot of issues,” Naatz said, according to an hourlong recording of the June 2017 event in Laguna Niguel provided to Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/23/trump-big-oil-industry-influence-investigation-zinke-226106

[Maxheader]

1. Special place in hell for the destroyers of

our natural resources...wildlife, air, water and land...bastards...

[Power 2 the People]

4. +1000

[2naSalit]

2. K&R

[TexasBushwhacker]

3. There is NO reason that oil and gas companies

can't transform themselves into ENERGY companies and use those billions in profits to develop green energy technologies. In the long term, it would be a wise move. The only reason they don't is the short term pursuit of MONEY.

[Maxheader]

5. Absolutely..

Just like the automakers could still make money selling only small fuel efficient vehicles...But they won't because the big gas guzzlers make them more $$$...

[TexasBushwhacker]

6. True

It isn't enough to make SOME profit. It's all about making the most profit in a year, or even a quarter. In some ways, I think the whole stock market/publically held companies system that we have has done far more harm than good. Companies going public to raise revenue and grow is good, but at what expense? But, to me, this gets back to allowing human beings to acquire and hoard BILLIONS in wealth. That money needs to be out cirxulating in the greater economy, not sitting in some fat cat's portfolio. That's where a more progressive income tax system comes into play as well as a wealth tax.