” the Defense Authorization Act of 1996, the U.S. Department of Energy was directed to sell the assets of NPR-1. On February 5, 1998, the Department of Energy and Occidental Petroleum Corporation concluded the largest divestiture of federal property in the history of the U.S. government. The sale agreement completed a privatization process that began in 1995 when the Clinton Administration proposed selling Elk Hills. The divestment removed the federal government out of the business of producing oil and gas at Elk Hills. In May 1995 the Clinton Administration proposed placing the federally-owned Elk Hills Naval Petroleum Reserve on the market as part of its efforts to reduce the size of government and return inherently non-federal functions to the private sector. In February 1996, the Congress passed and the President signed the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 containing authorization to proceed with the sale”
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/npr.htm
Anytime Democrats suddenly take an interest in reducing the size of government (not to mention privatizing government oil) you have to realize you’re seeing a sleight of hand in action.
I believe I also read that Occidental wasn’t even the highest bidder. It was such a benefit to Gore, tho, how could they NOT award the deal to them.
I wasn’t politically aware at that time in my life, but I did watch the news and I don’t remember hearing any of the anti-capitalists excoriating Gore over making such a big profit.