Western Values Project
A Voice for the Majority in the American West

FIRST, David Bernhardt lobbied for the International Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), among other clients.

THEN, Donald Trump nominated Bernhardt to be Secretary of the Department of Interior.

NOW, Secretary Bernhardt is using his leadership role at Interior to take actions that benefit the IPAA and other former lobbying clients. This is an egregious abuse of power.

Tell Congress: hold Secretary Bernhardt accountable

Friend,

With Secretary David Bernhardt leading the Department of the Interior, our public lands are in grave danger.

A former mega-lobbyist with dozens of conflicted clients like the IPAA, Bernhardt is spending his time at Interior promoting the interests of the extractive resource industry at the expense of our public lands.

He’s trying to award a water contract to one of his former clients, nominated industry insiders to top leadership positions in Interior, and continues to shape the department into his own personal lobbying shop.

We’re calling on Congress to IMMEDIATELY investigate Secretary Bernhardt and determine if he violated the spirit or the letter of any ethics laws that limit cabinet officials’ interactions with former clients.

We’re also demanding that the investigation include Bernhardt’s past clients (including the IPAA) to discover whether or not they intentionally exploited their relationship with the secretary to churn out more profits.

America’s public lands are for the American people. Our public lands shouldn’t be used to pad the pockets of an interior secretary's friends or former clients.

If we do nothing, Secretary Bernhardt and his industry pals will cause immeasurable, permanent harm to our country’s outdoor heritage.

Join us in calling on Congress to immediately and thoroughly investigate Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and his relationship with industry.

-- Jayson O’Neill,
Deputy Director, Western Values Project

empowered by Salsa