Extreme “green” hypocrisy is—once again—on display. This time it’s thanks to Democrat California Gov. Jerry Brown.
Emails obtained via a public records request reveal that, last year, Brown “directed state oil and gas regulators to research, map and report back on any mining and oil drilling potential and history at the Brown family’s private land in Northern California.” This is the same Brown who has destroyed jobs via California’s clean jobs initiative—a voter-approved ballot measure that raised taxes on corporations to generate clean-energy jobs. And, it’s the same Brown who placed the burden of higher gas prices on working families due to his low carbon fuel standards (LCFS) scheme. The Associated Press,
“After a phone call from the governor and follow-up requests from his aides, senior staffers in the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency over at least two days produced a 51-page historical report and geological assessment, plus a personalized satellite-imaged geological and oil and gas drilling map for the area around Brown’s family ranchland near the town of Williams.
“Ultimately, the regulators told the governor, prospects were “very low” for any commercial drilling or mining at the 2,700-acre property, which has been in Brown’s family for more than a century.”
The hypocrisy of it all isn’t the only problem with Brown’s request. By every indication, Brown used state resources—an extensive amount of state resources—to assess his private property. More, Brown should to gain personally from a positive outcome of the assessment. The Associated Press,
“California law bars elected officials from using public employees or other public resources for personal purposes, with limited exceptions for things like occasional personal calls from work phones.
“Regulators say the personal work they did for Brown was legal and appropriate.
“‘We field similar requests for public, historical information … and responding is one of the division’s public service responsibilities,’ said Don Drysdale, a spokesman for the oil and gas agency.
“Drysdale said the satellite-imaged geological and drilling map prepared by the state for Brown’s land took a ‘few hours.’
“Regulators and Brown’s office declined to provide examples of any similar geological assessments and maps that oil gas regulators had done for anyone else who was curious about any oil and gas potential of their private land. The AP has filed a public records request for them.”
Petroleum-industry professionals begged to differ from the cover-up claims made by members of Brown’s administration. Prior to even knowing the subject of inquiry, professionals told the AP that they “never heard of regulators carrying out and compiling that kind of research, analysis and mapping for private individuals.”
Breitbart points out that, although Brown’s actions are not criminal offenses, they are potentially impeachable offenses. California Government Code Section 3020 specifies: “State officers elected on a statewide basis, members of the State Board of Equalization, and judges of state courts are subject to impeachment for misconduct in office.”
Biff says
It’s good to be king…
Jim Thomas says
The same kind of sleuthing would undoubtably show the same type of issues exsist right here in the State of Washington. The old “Do as I say, not as I do”.
Jeff Cohn says
Does anyone have the address of where is this ranch located? There is other oil drilling in the Williams area. SeeDrillingMaps.com