** Interior lawyer under investigation, facing Senate vote
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Monday, September 23, 2019
Daniel Jorjani, left, at his Senate confirmation hearing. ([link removed])

The Department of the Interior's internal watchdog confirmed ([link removed]) in letters sent to Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Raul Grijalva that investigators will conduct a broad assessment of the department's political review process of Freedom of Information Act requests. Interior's top lawyer, Daniel Jorjani, who had a hand in formalizing the review process, and now faces a Senate confirmation vote to become Interior Solicitor, was the subject of an investigation request by Senator Wyden. At his confirmation hearing, Jorjani told Congress that he does not review FOIAs, but public documents show ([link removed]) that he has been heavily involved in reviews.

Daniel Jorjani could face a confirmation vote sometime this week, but Senator Wyden has previously said he will attempt to block the vote, claiming Jorjani committed perjury. The question is, will members of the Senate vote in favor of someone currently under investigation?


**
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Quick hits


** New BLM headquarters will share an office building with oil and gas companies
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Washington Post ([link removed]) | Denver Post ([link removed]) | Colorado Public Radio ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed])


** Documents suggest Acting BLM Director William Perry Pendley misled Congress on BLM relocation
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Pro Publica ([link removed])


** Interior watchdog investigating political appointees' review of FOIA requests
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The Hill ([link removed]) | Huffington Post ([link removed])


** Millions of acres of oil and gas leases on public lands sell for $2 per acre, parcels continue to be sold in wildlife areas
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KUER ([link removed]) | Casper Star Tribune ([link removed])


** Abandoned oil and gas wells could cost U.S. taxpayers $46 million to $333 million in reclamation costs
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Associated Press ([link removed])


** Meet the lawyers beating back Trump's reckless environmental policies and winning
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Rolling Stone ([link removed])


** New group will battle environmentalists over Vigneto and other projects
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Arizona Daily Star ([link removed])


** Opinion: Interior Secretary David Bernhardt keeps giving jobs to anti-public lands extremists
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Denver Post ([link removed])
Quote of the day

It’s clear that Bernhardt, the ultimate D.C. swamp creature and lobbyist, has found common cause with anti-government lawyers like Pendley and Budd-Falen. All three of them have spent years trying to undermine America’s bedrock conservation laws like the Endangered Species Act."
—Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director of the Center for Western Priorities ([link removed]’s clear that Bernhardt, the ultimate D.C. swamp creature and lobbyist, has found common cause with anti-government lawyers like Pendley and Budd-Falen. All three of them have spent years trying to undermine America’s bedrock conservation laws like the Endangered Species Act.)
Picture this


**
.@GrandTetonNPS ([link removed]) is gorgeous. That’s it. That’s the tweet. | @Interior ([link removed])
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