145 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 78 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing Summarizing
General News    H2'ed 7/5/15

Chevron's Lobbyist Now Runs the Congressional Science Committee

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   No comments

Lee Fang
Message Lee Fang
Become a Fan
  (4 fans)

Reprinted from www.republicreport.org

Chevron
Chevron
(Image by swong95765)
  Details   DMCA

For Chevron, the second largest oil company in the country with $26.2 billion in annual profits, it helps to have friends in high places. With little fanfare, one of Chevron's top lobbyists, Stephen Sayle, has become a senior staff member of the House Committee on Science, the standing congressional committee charged with "maintaining our scientific and technical leadership in the world."

Throughout much of 2013, Sayle was the chief executive officer of Dow Lohnes Government Strategies, a lobbying firm retained by Chevron to influence Congress. For fees that total $320,000 a year, Sayle and his team lobbied on a range of energy-related issues, including implementation of EPA rules under the Clean Air Act, regulation of ozone standards, as well as "Congressional and agency oversight related to offshore oil, natural gas development and oil spills."

Sayle's ethics disclosure, obtained by Republic Report, shows that he was paid $500,000 by Chevron's lobbying firm before taking his current gig atop the Science Committee.

In recent months, the House Science Committee has become a cudgel for the oil industry, issuing subpoenas and holding hearings to demonize efforts to improve the environment. Some of the work by the committee reflect the lobbying priorities of Chevron.

In December, the Science Committee, now chaired by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), held yet another hearing to try to discredit manmade global warming. In August, the committee issued the first subpoena in 21 years, demanding "all the raw data from a number of federally funded studies linking air pollution to disease."

Though Chevron has gone to great lengths to advertise a lofty environmental record, the company continues to break air pollution laws while quietly backpedalling on its prior commitments to renewable energy. A Bloomberg News investigation reported that Chevron estimated that its biofuel investments would only return five percent in profits, a far cry from the fifteen percent accustomed to the oil giant, and quietly moved to shelve renewable fuel units of the company. In California, Chevron is battling the newly created cap-and-trade system for carbon pollution. And in states across the country, Chevron has lobbied and provided financial support to a range of right-wing non-profits dedicated to repealing carbon-cutting regulations, including the low-carbon fuel standard.

Click Here to Read Whole Article

Must Read 1   Well Said 1   Supported 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Lee Fang Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

LEE FANG  Lee Fang is a  reporting fellow with The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute. He covers money in politics, conservative movements and lobbying. Lee's work has resulted in multiple calls for hearings in Congress and the (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Romney Hires Voter Suppression Guru

GOP Mogul Behind Drug Rehab "Torture" Centers Is Bankrolling Opposition to Pot Legalization in Colorado

In Recorded Message To Drone Lobby Group, Congressman Rick Berg Brags About Loyalty To Industry

Revealed: Secretive Group Working To Suppress Voting In Maine Funded In Part By Wisconsin Businesses

Saudi-Led Oil Lobby Group Financed 2012 Dark Money Attack Ads

Grover Norquist's Budget Is Largely Financed by Just Two Billionaire-Backed Nonprofits

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend