David Bernhardt, President Trump’s pick to the lead the Interior Department, was confirmed by the Senate amid persistent ethical concerns and doubts about his independence from the energy and water industry groups he long represented as a lobbyist.
David Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist, speaks before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee at his confirmation hearing last month to head the Interior Department.
Before becoming acting secretary, Bernhardt spent about eight years as a partner in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, one of the nation’s top-grossing law and lobbying firms, according to public rankings. There he represented energy, mining and Western water interests that deal with the Interior Department, including two California entities, Westlands Water District — the nation’s largest irrigation district — and Cadiz Inc.
When Bernhardt was confirmed as deputy secretary in 2017, he had to sign the administration’s ethics pledge and recuse himself from participating in “particular matters” involving more than two dozen former clients. Some of the recusals were effective for two years, others for one. In the last year, he has helped put policies in place that benefit businesses he once represented as a lobbyist.Last year, for example, Bernhardt helped craft a Trump directive that would especially benefit Westlands.
Rep. Jared Huffman called Bernhardt “a poster child for the corruption of the Trump administration.” Sen. Ron Wyden has accused Bernhardt of lying and asked the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia this week to investigate whether Bernhardt broke the law by lobbying for a client after he claimed to have stopped.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Senate confirms ex-lobbyist David Bernhardt to lead InteriorThe Senate has confirmed acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to lead the department on a permanent basis.
Read more »
Ex-Lobbyist David Bernhardt Confirmed as Interior SecretaryDavid Bernhardt was confirmed by the Senate as interior secretary, putting another former advocate for business interests at the forefront of the Trump administration’s environmental and energy policy.
Read more »
Senate confirms ex-lobbyist David Bernhardt to lead InteriorSenate confirms acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to lead the department on a permanent basis, despite complaints by Democrats that the former oil and gas lobbyist has used his federal position to benefit former industry clients.
Read more »
Senate confirms ex-lobbyist David Bernhardt to lead InteriorWASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday confirmed acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to lead the department on a permanent basis, despite complaints by Democrats that the former oil and gas lobbyist has used his federal position to benefit former industry clients.
Read more »
Senate set to confirm ex-lobbyist Bernhardt as Interior chiefThe U.S. Senate is set to confirm former energy lobbyist David Bernhardt as the ...
Read more »
Trump loyalist David Malpass is appointed World Bank Group presidentDavid Malpass was President Trump's nominee for the World Bank post. The senior U.S. Treasury official had been sharply critical of China and called for a shakeup of the global economic order.
Read more »
World Bank President David Malpass says China has too much debt'China moved so fast that in some part of the world there is just too much debt,' Malpass says. 'That's something that we can work on with China.'
Read more »
Senate confirms Bernhardt to head InteriorThe Senate confirmed David Bernhardt, a former lobbyist and Interior Department veteran, to serve as the agency's 53rd secretary by a 56-41 vote on Thursday, rejecting ethics concerns raised by Democrats
Read more »
Senate votes to confirm Bernhardt to be interior secretaryThe Senate on Thursday confirmed David Bernhardt, a former fossil fuel lobbyist, to be the next Interior secretary. The vote was 56-41.
Read more »