BERNHARDT IS NO BRAVEHEART!!!
In any other time, in any other administration, the story of newly appointed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and the investigation into his conflicts of interest just ONE DAY after the REPUBLIKAN Senate confirmed him would be front page news. But under Donald Trump and his “CABINET OF CLOWNS”, it’s barely news at all. Bernhardt is replacing former Secretary Ryan Zinke, who resigned his office and left town under a cloud of suspicion and numerous allegations of misconduct and abuses of power. And now his replacement, a former lobbyist for the very groups and industries he is supposed to be regulating (that doesn’t raise any RED FLAGS in the Senate?!?) is under investigation by the Departments own inspector general for ethical conflicts!!! Imagine that-a member of the Trump administration under investigation for “ethical conflicts”-I thought it was a requisite for employment!! The following information regarding this amazing story of the corruption rampant in the Trump administration is taken from the Los Angeles Times. The Interior Department’s office of inspector general disclosed Monday that it has opened a formal investigation into alleged ethical conflicts by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, a former lobbyist for natural resources industries who won Senate confirmation to his post just four days ago. The disclosure came in separate letters, one to Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, and another to Ron Wyden of Oregon. All had called for the investigation. In the letters, Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall said her office had received seven complaints, including those from the Senators, “from a wide assortment of complainants.” She continued, “We are continuing to gather pertinent information about the complaints and have opened an investigation to address them.” She said the office would conduct the review “as expeditiously and thoroughly as practicable.” The inspector general’s action has the air of locking the barn door after the horse has escaped. Allegations that Bernhardt has been acting in his official capacity to advance the interests of his former clients have been rife since his appointment as Deputy Secretary in 2017; he was appointed acting secretary to replace former Secretary Ryan Zinke, who left office under an ethical cloud, in January. Bernhardt was confirmed as secretary by the Senate on April 11, almost entirely along party lines, with all Republicans and three Democrats in support. (Therein lays the problem!!) Wyden noted in a statement Monday that he earlier had called for Bernhardt’s confirmation to be delayed until the ethics allegations had been thoroughly investigated. “We now have an Interior Secretary who has been on the job for one full business day and is already under investigation,” Wyden said in the emailed and tweeted statement. “With Bernhardt’s track record and the number of allegations against him, it’s no surprise.” Added Warren, “It’s about time that the Department of the Interior opened an investigation into Secretary David Bernhardt’s conflicts of interest...He should have never been confirmed to lead the department with these outstanding ethics complaints.” As my colleague Bettina Boxall and I reported earlier, Bernhardt has pursued policies and taken actions at Interior that would manifestly deliver direct benefits to former clients at the law form of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, which has represented companies in the oil, gas, mining and agriculture industries. This is how Washington is run these days under Donald Trump and the REPUBLIKAN Senate. Just take a look at the “CABINET OF CLOWNS”. You’ll see the same laissez faire manner in which these various departments are run, with the so called “regulators”, many of whom came from the various organizations or interests they are supposed to be regulating. There are numerous ethical issues involving members of this Cabinet, ongoing abuses of power and in some cases ongoing investigations into either them or their respective departments. It’s a national disgrace, and believe me, we will all pay the price for these incompetent buffoons and their actions down the road. The environment, our nation’s natural resources like parks and wild lands, our education system, our transportation system, monetary and financial policies and other areas that affect each of us on a daily basis will take in some cases years to repair the damage that has already been done. And for what purpose? It’s really quite simple-policy and regulatory relief in exchange for money, specifically campaign contributions in order that these greedy power hungry individuals and their political party can maintain their grip on power and continue to plunder our nation. This has got to stop. As is the case with most other issues plaguing our once great nation, these can be resolved also very simply-at the ballot box. In order to stop the pillaging and plundering, Donald Trump must be voted out of office. Mitch McConnell and the REPUBLIKAN majority in the Senate must be ousted and flipped. It’s the ONLY way we are going to reclaim control of our government, the officials who are supposed to be running it and the policies which they implement for our benefit. Otherwise, I hesitate to think what kid of a nation my grandchildren are going to inherit.
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About Mike ColeBorn in Hamilton, OH but a proud Kentuckian since age two. One brother and three sisters. Suburban, Catholic middle-class upbringing. Attended Jefferson Community College and Pasadena Community College. Proud father of four and grandfather to seven, and most of all, a concerned American citizen! Are you??? Categories |