House Democrats have asked the Justice Department to investigate the former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, and a federal report found that hundreds of Native children died at government boarding schools.
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Dems request investigation into ex–Interior secretary
Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee have asked the Department of Justice to investigate Trump-era Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. They claim that he may be involved in a quid proquo regarding a clean water permit.
The situation was the first time that the committee has ever referred criminal cases to the DOJ.
What is being alleged? Lawmakers raised concerns about the fact that the federal government changed their position on a permit just as the Trump campaign received donations from a beneficiary.
According to the referral, the donations of the beneficiary and others totalled nearly $250,000 and were not part of the usual election cycle.
These facts raise serious concerns about a potentially criminal quid pro quo, wrote committee Chairman Ral Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Bernhardt did no immediate respond to The Hills’ requests for comment. Mike Ingram, the owner of El Dorado Holdingss, spoke on behalf of the beneficiary and said that there was no wrongdoing.
Everything Mr. Ingram did, and everything El Dorado did, was about asking the government for facts and laws. Period. Campaign contributions are not rewarded with anything. Nothing in return for political relationships, Lanny Davis, attorney adviser to El Dorado, told The Hill.
(Davis contributed opinion articles to The Hill.
The details: These accusations are a result of a Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) reversed position on a permit for a development in Arizona known as Villages at Vigneto.
Steve Spangle, FWS Field Supervisor now in retirement Arizona Daily Star in 2019 that he had been pressured by a high-level politico to reverse a decision that would have required a detailed analysis of how the development could impact endangered species.
He claimed that he had been wronged at the time, and in an Oct 2017 letter reversed his position in a manner that made it easier to obtain a Clean Water Act Permit.
According to the Democrats’ report, Bernhardt & Ingram met at breakfast in August 2017
They also note that the announcement of permits revaluation occurred on Oct. 6, 2017.
- Ingram donated $10,000 the Trump Victory Fund (TVF) to a committee that funds both the Trump campaign (and the Republican National Committee, RNC).
- The referral stated that Ingram and 12 other Arizona donors contributed $147,000 to the same charity between Oct. 5, 2017 and Oct. 10, 2017.
- One donor contributed an additional $94,600 towards the RNC
Find out more about the referral.
Federal schools: Interior: 100 Native children died
The Interior Department announced Wednesday that hundreds of Native American children were killed after being forced into government-run boarding schools for 50 years.
- The investigation revealed that 408 schools were operated between 1819-1869 by the federal government, and another 89 schools received no federal funding.
- According to the Interior Secretary, the department has already identified more than 500 deaths in 19 schools. Deb HaalandThe department anticipates that more will be identified.
- The report identified 53 schools with unmarked and marked burial sites. This number is expected to grow as the analysis continues.
A dark chapter: The schools required children to cut their hair, speak English instead of their native languages, and were subject to what Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland called militarized or identity alteration methodology.
Haalands grandfather was a survivor at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Its founder Richard Henry Pratt described the institution’s mission as “kill the Indian, save man.”
The investigation also revealed that schools were more focused on vocational skills and manual labor than academic work. This left graduates with limited job prospects and skills.
It was further found that around half of boarding school students may have received support or assistance from religious institutions. The federal government sometimes pays per capita religious organizations for Native American students.
The investigation revealed that schools were found in 37 states and 11 former-territories. The largest number was 37 in Oklahoma. The department recommended several additional steps in the investigation. They included producing a detailed list with burial locations at boarding schools and a rough estimate of federal financial assistance they received.
You can read more about the report by clicking here.
Biden official acknowledges ‘urgency’ on solar probe
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo spoke out Wednesday in defense of the Commerce Department’s investigation into solar panel component manufacturers, telling the Senate Appropriations Committee she hoped to complete it as soon as possible.
Scott Peters (D.Calif.), expressed concern that the case could cost us 100,000 American jobs and jeopardize all our common clean-energy goals. He stated that it has already delayed over 300 projects.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R.Kan.), asked Raimondo about the probe that was launched in response to a petition from Auxin Solar, a U.S-based solar company.
Why is there no industry-supported threshold for initiating this anti-circumvention inquiry Moran asked. To keep tariffs low, there is a process. [on solar panels]One small company is able to take over the industry to the detriment.
Moran pointed out that Auxin wouldn’t have had exclusive access to information about the conducts of the companies concerned and asked if Commerce Department had reached a conclusion based on its own information.
The investigation began in March and involves allegations that several solar panel component manufacturers in southeast Asian countries were fronts to Chinese component firms looking to avoid U.S. tariffs.
Raimondo replied that he had heard from many people in the industry and that he shared the urgency. I understand how fragile and urgently we must move forward in the solar supply chain.
Find out more about the probe.
WHAT WE’RE READING
- Manchin meets fracking billionaire Harold Hamm (E&E News)
- Oil Giants Sell Oil Wells to Buyers with Looser Climate Goals. Study Findings (The New York Times)
- Revealed: The carbon bombs that will cause a catastrophic climate collapse (The Guardian)
- Ukraine Reduces Russian Gas Flowing To Europe Through Key PipelineThe Wall Street Journal)
- California’s increased water use opens the door for more penaltiesCalMatters)
Finally, something a little offbeat and unorthodox: What’s the buzz?
That’s all for today. Thank you for reading. Check out The Hills Energy & Environment page for the latest news and coverage. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
