Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
House Democrats press DOJ to probe Trump Interior secretary for permit reversal
Source: Politico
House Democrats asked the Justice Department on Wednesday to investigate whether former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt improperly leaned on agency staff to approve a project for an Arizona land developer who made large donations to Republicans and then-President Donald Trump’s reelection effort.
In the letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, House Natural Resources Chair Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), chair of its Oversight and Investigations panel, allege that Bernhardt during his time as deputy secretary in 2017 pressured career staff at the Fish and Wildlife Service to reverse their denial of a water permit needed for the construction of Villages at Vigneto, a proposed high-end development of 28,000 homes, a golf course and restaurants in southern Arizona. The lawmakers cite interviews with Trump-era officials and emails from Interior Department staff as evidence.
Around the same time as the reversal, Michael Ingram, the owner of the land to be developed, and a group of Arizona donors including his personal and business associates gave $241,600 to political campaign committees associated with Trump, the committee’s review of campaign finance records show.
The new effort shows House Democrats are still focused on probing the Trump administration’s actions nearly 18 months after it left office. Bernhardt, a former lobbyist, had faced numerous accusations while in office that he made decisions benefiting his former clients and hid documents such as his public schedule.
In the letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, House Natural Resources Chair Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), chair of its Oversight and Investigations panel, allege that Bernhardt during his time as deputy secretary in 2017 pressured career staff at the Fish and Wildlife Service to reverse their denial of a water permit needed for the construction of Villages at Vigneto, a proposed high-end development of 28,000 homes, a golf course and restaurants in southern Arizona. The lawmakers cite interviews with Trump-era officials and emails from Interior Department staff as evidence.
Around the same time as the reversal, Michael Ingram, the owner of the land to be developed, and a group of Arizona donors including his personal and business associates gave $241,600 to political campaign committees associated with Trump, the committee’s review of campaign finance records show.
The new effort shows House Democrats are still focused on probing the Trump administration’s actions nearly 18 months after it left office. Bernhardt, a former lobbyist, had faced numerous accusations while in office that he made decisions benefiting his former clients and hid documents such as his public schedule.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/11/dems-doj-bernhardt-probe-00031396