Posted on 11/16/2005 11:23:31 PM PST by indianrightwinger
US senators demand oil execs re-testify, under oath Nov 16 6:44 PM US/Eastern Email this story
Senate Democrats demanded that oil company executives who testified last week about skyrocketing energy prices reappear before lawmakers and testify under oath, after news reports raised questions about the truthfulness of their testimony.
Leading oil company executives long have denied taking part in a secretive energy task force run in 2001 by Vice President Dick Cheney, but White House records obtained by The Washington Post refuted that, according to the daily's editions on Wednesday.
The ad hoc group was tasked with helping develop a national energy policy, but was opposed by environmentalists because there allegedly were no ecologically friendly players on the panel.
The leader of Senate Democrats said the oil company executives who testified last week should be forced to return to Congress to set the record straight regarding their involvement with Cheney's group.
"When the big oil companies came to Congress to testify about their record profits, we expected that they would tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Today, we learned that this was a standard they were not prepared to meet," said Senator Harry Reid.
"This is unacceptable. I join my Democratic colleagues in demanding that these oil executives by brought back to the Congress, sworn in, and forced to testify again about their involvement with Vice President Cheneys secretive energy task force and all of the issues covered in the hearing," said Reid, who authored a letter to the Senate leadership requesting that the oil executives be summoned to new hearings.
"We respectfully request that you reconvene hearings as soon as possible to take these witnesses sworn testimony about their roles in the Cheney energy task force and the recent run-up in American fuel prices," Reid wrote in the letter.
Democrats also objected to a decision by the leaders of the Republican-led Senate to waive swearing in the witnesses. At any future hearing, Reid said, the executives should testify under oath.
"Recalling these witnesses to testify under oath will help us answer many of these lingering questions, and bolster the American peoples confidence in the integrity of the Senates investigation into this matter," he said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg called at a press conference for an investigation.
"I want to be certain that this gets an appropriate review, so I've written to the attorney general asking him to investigate whether any of these oil company CEOs broke the law by making false statements to the Congress," Lautenberg said.
"Gas prices, everyone knows, are more than double what were at the end of 2001, and in September we all saw the average price of gas go above three dollars," he said.
"Whatever was discussed at that White House energy task force meeting, it seems to turn out very well for the big oil companies, but it's been disastrous, daily disastrous for the American public."
Lautenberg added: "We need to know what went on at those meetings, and find out whether this administration permitted the interests of big oil to stand ahead of the needs of the American families, small businesses."
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(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
They can do nothing without GOP cooperation.
Gas went from a high of $3.79/gal to $2.17/gal (and still dropping) in these parts.
Correct, and thankfully. Otherwise, these clowns' circus would have moved into the committee halls of Congress.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
aRE WE ASSUMING THAT THIS IS A FREE MARKET ?
The results of all the meetings, with economists as well as with oil company and other energy people, was in the administration's energy policy proposals WHICH HAVE ALL POSTED ON THE INTERNET FOR YEARS NOW. If you can't see that any of them gave preferential treatment to one industry or group over another OR NOT, well then, YOU'RE BRAIN-DEAD HOPELESS. What in hell ELSE would you need to know, anyway?
He wants to know who participated in the Energy Task Force. Problem is that even the SCOTUS said that information falls under executive privilege.
DeamonRATS are trying to find another way at the information.
Lo$ers! Laughable dummy heads too. I feel sorry for their pea brains.
I do believe that Sen.Stevens told Sen.Cantwell to basically "shut up" when she tried to press this issue. Hopefully Sen.Stevens will tell these whiny rats the same thing.
I hope he says "STFU" this time. :-)
Ditto to that.
1.99 here
The oil industry is subjected to more accusations and investigations than the mafia. They've got to jump hurdles for damned near every kook in America. I don't know how they do it. It hardly seems worth the rather paltry profits they receive in return.
Yeah, poor babies. So few billions to live off of, every few months. I don't know HOW they do it, much less WHY they would heap that burden upon themselves. Blackbird.
Uhhh... Do these executives HAVE to appear before these clowns?? If they do, do they HAVE to say ANYTHING at all?
I for one would love to see the oil execs put thru the wringer.
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