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marble falls

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138. Literaly:

Fri Jun 21, 2013, 09:26 PM

Jun 2013

Report: Federal regulators literally in bed with oil execs
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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Scandal-plagued agency

In case you missed David Ivanovich’s blockbuster report in today’s print edition of the Houston Chronicle, here is the top of the story:

A program director allegedly snorts crystal meth off a toaster oven. A marketing supervisor sells sex toys to her employees, while senior executives allegedly rig contract bids for a pal.

Such is the culture the Interior Department’s Inspector General says he found at the Minerals Management Service, the federal agency responsible for handling $8 billion a year in revenue from offshore oil and gas leases.

As lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday were taking up bills that could throw open new areas offshore to oil and gas drilling, Inspector General Earl Devaney released a series of blistering, even lurid, reports on the alleged behavior of the federal employees who deal with those offshore operators.

Agency employees, a number of whom still work for the federal government, received frequent gifts from industry players, had sexual encounters with oil and gas company employees, consulted for energy firms on the side and threw contracts to friends, Devaney found.

http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/09/report-federal-regulators-literally-in-bed-with-oil-execs/

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Highlight:

EPA drops fracking pollution study...So I guess I must be a racist... [View all] WilliamPitt Jun 2013 OP

Huh? WovenGems Jun 2013 #1

Surely you're not suggesting that the Oil and Gas Commission of Cheney's beloved Wyoming ... GeorgeGist Jun 2013 #2

Literaly: marble falls Jun 2013 #138

Hand in hand with the state = hand in hand with the frackers. deminks Jun 2013 #3

Major +1! tex-wyo-dem Jun 2013 #144

"And the water burns"... awoke_in_2003 Jun 2013 #149

Looks like the corporatists among us are getting bolder. Lines are being drawn. nm rhett o rick Jun 2013 #4

I'll take a Frack at it n2doc Jun 2013 #5

It's such a contradiction, isn't it? Either Obama is this monarch who controls the entire Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2013 #19

Hmm. truebluegreen Jun 2013 #29

Stunning, wasn't it? Whiskeytide Jun 2013 #73

+1 truebluegreen Jun 2013 #82

Nothing I stated was illogical. I was pointing out the contradiction that persists. Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2013 #97

I'd expect your straw man marsis Jun 2013 #110

Nope! You are but I can't help you if you don't get it. Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2013 #114

nope, those are two straw men you created. tomp Jun 2013 #152

Nope. If you don't understand the larger point I'm trying to make then that's on you. Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2013 #157

lame ass response. nt tomp Jun 2013 #158

If you didn't understand the larger point I made, that's on you. Lame is as lame does. IGNORE! Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2013 #159

I'll reserve judgment until he resolves the pipeline issue. I'm so so close to jumping ship tho. xtraxritical Jun 2013 #53

Wow, you nailed it. It is sad how obvious some of the defenders have become! n-t Logical Jun 2013 #25

Will's training is almost complete now Ichingcarpenter Jun 2013 #31

. . . . . . . . . . . . WilliamPitt Jun 2013 #38

It's the Church of the Zombie Worshippers. L0oniX Jun 2013 #37

Again, there is so much money and power behind fracking siligut Jun 2013 #6

Wow. WilliamPitt Jun 2013 #7

I don't like it either siligut Jun 2013 #13

Better yet, call members of the Senate who are blocking Gina McCarthy's confirmation. Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2013 #20

I think David could really use the sling that would be the results of an impartial government Ed Suspicious Jun 2013 #15

The study was impartial, that is why the results won't be shown siligut Jun 2013 #21

Yea, because it's usually more prudent to just wait for people to get sick and die... gtar100 Jun 2013 #18

This way MDs can be barred from telling patients about health problems associated with it siligut Jun 2013 #26

Or the doctors can just be declared "terrorists" - the TransCanada strategy in Nebraska . . . hatrack Jun 2013 #51

So the President of the US is no more than a youth armed with a sling? primavera Jun 2013 #40

And the US is the best country in the world siligut Jun 2013 #46

It's as powerful as one wants to make it. Just depends on who they turn their back on. n/t jtuck004 Jun 2013 #92

This might make me racist also! n-t Logical Jun 2013 #8

Jesus... I Guess That Means Keystone Is Going To Be Approved... WillyT Jun 2013 #9

oh, you know it will be. liberal_at_heart Jun 2013 #44

Was there really ever any doubt that it would be? n/t markpkessinger Jun 2013 #50

You're racist against oil pipelines. /nt Marr Jun 2013 #57

Hey... Some Of My Best Friends Are Pipes... WillyT Jun 2013 #69

And others are lines... City Lights Jun 2013 #77

I prefer spigots. Jamastiene Jun 2013 #146

If the people of Wyoming want clean water they can buy it from Absopure like everyone else. Octafish Jun 2013 #10

+1...money trumps peace... tex-wyo-dem Jun 2013 #148

It's clear that this is not going to happen at the federal level. Buzz Clik Jun 2013 #11

Yep, won't happen at the federal level it appears. East Coast Pirate Jun 2013 #86

Surely we can count on the responsible state government of Wyoming to pick up the slack 0rganism Jun 2013 #103

Well, you know -- I have the same feeling about this as mountaintop mining in West Virginia Buzz Clik Jun 2013 #105

PA's GOP Governor Corbett has gutted our Dept. of Environmental Protection. Divernan Mar 2014 #160

EPA... I seem to have forgotten what that stands for. gtar100 Jun 2013 #12

It now stands for Enterprise Protection Agency zeemike Jun 2013 #16

Wait--wait--don't tell me� Jackpine Radical Jun 2013 #35

are you blaming the employees? CreekDog Jun 2013 #87

That's a stretch. Jackpine Radical Jun 2013 #88

I'm just asking since you quipped "apologists" CreekDog Jun 2013 #89

Those would be the decision makers. You know, the ones who decided to back off. (nt) scarletwoman Jun 2013 #128

Nixon signed the bill creating the EPA. HooptieWagon Jun 2013 #134

Different time in this country. There were repubs that even supported unions gtar100 Jun 2013 #140

I'll say. HooptieWagon Jun 2013 #141

Environmental Pollution Agency Jamastiene Jun 2013 #147

There's a huge difference between criticizing Obama to try to make the govt better baldguy Jun 2013 #14

Seriously? WilliamPitt Jun 2013 #17

You should know better than to try play the martyr. baldguy Jun 2013 #101

"Miguided" is a very kind way of putting it. Number23 Jun 2013 #122

Excuse me? OrwellwasRight Jun 2013 #137

Who on DU is asking to eliminate the federal government? Links! n-t Logical Jun 2013 #22

disgruntled progressive=teabagger.. frylock Jun 2013 #79

OK, makes sense now. n-t Logical Jun 2013 #81

Only when they use the same arguments the Tea Baggers do. baldguy Jun 2013 #98

Are you being intentionally obtuse? LondonReign2 Jun 2013 #99

provide examples of progressives and tea baggers using the same arguments.. frylock Jun 2013 #102

You're kidding, right? Have you been asleep the last couple weeks? baldguy Jun 2013 #109

gosh, here are the teabagger germans making that same argument.. frylock Jun 2013 #119

LOL @ "criticizing the Obama" like it's a rank now? Can I be an Obama someday if I try really hard? Electric Monk Jun 2013 #93

Interesting. You are implying that Obama is to blame for this, but he has nominated a very Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2013 #23

No, you're not racist, but ProSense Jun 2013 #24

"Still, I wonder why so many people are determined to distort the point?" WilliamPitt Jun 2013 #30

+1 ...it's NonSense L0oniX Jun 2013 #33

Resorting to silliness means you have nothing valid to say. n/t ProSense Jun 2013 #43

Sorry ...I can't compete with your vast storage of links you use to bury everyone. L0oniX Jun 2013 #47

Typical ProSense Jun 2013 #56

LOL aww I must have touch a nerve. More links? L0oniX Jun 2013 #58

LOL! ProSense Jun 2013 #66

You don't argue at all. You misdirect. Marr Jun 2013 #59

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ L0oniX Jun 2013 #70

No, I don't, but ProSense Jun 2013 #76

It took months to notice because I *wasn't* focussed on you. /nt Marr Jun 2013 #85

LOL!!!! sibelian Jun 2013 #118

Do you have a degree in marketing or psych ? Nt galileoreloaded Jun 2013 #111

That is laugh-out-loud funny! truebrit71 Jun 2013 #96

So True. NCTraveler Jun 2013 #63

Well, ProSense Jun 2013 #65

You have a very high opinion of yourself. NCTraveler Jun 2013 #74

Do you support this EPA decision? nt Union Scribe Jun 2013 #143

This is all so fucking frustrating Marrah_G Jun 2013 #27

After they declared... CanSocDem Jun 2013 #28

I think I can predict the talking points nadinbrzezinski Jun 2013 #32

I predict that NYC water supply will be poisoned by fracking... L0oniX Jun 2013 #34

Yea, punt it to the state of Wyoming to determine, as if the oil and gas industry doesn't own Dustlawyer Jun 2013 #36

Jeez, Will-- Jackpine Radical Jun 2013 #39

You STILL don't get it. This crap will continue as long as the USofA is all about Capitalism... Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2013 #41

No they didn't. The study proved inconclusive. Cerridwen Jun 2013 #42

A study must be peer-reviewed before it is determined to be inconclusive yardwork Jun 2013 #107

And from which orifice did you pull that? Egalitarian Thug Jun 2013 #132

Not far off, actually. yardwork Jun 2013 #154

So many racist haters on DU these days!!!111! n/t Skip Intro Jun 2013 #45

...and a lot of worshipper zombies. I wish they would keep the worship on Sundays only. L0oniX Jun 2013 #52

It's not so much the blind worship, which is scary enough alone, but Skip Intro Jun 2013 #60

Unlike a lot of the worshippers I went to an Obama rally before he was elected for 1st term... L0oniX Jun 2013 #64

What is with all the intolerance lately siligut Jun 2013 #48

Are you posting Obama smears from Breitbart? Your OP is intellectually dishonest & beneath you. KittyWampus Jun 2013 #49

Everything I post that someone disagrees with is beneath me. WilliamPitt Jun 2013 #54

How, exactly, is posting the actions of the EPA smearing Obama? LondonReign2 Jun 2013 #104

Stupendous suckage Berlum Jun 2013 #55

+1 Poll_Blind Jun 2013 #61

The article had me worried, too, at first. randome Jun 2013 #62

So does that mean that you and cerridwen are "defenders"? redqueen Jun 2013 #68

In matters of political debate, I consider myself to be agnostic. randome Jun 2013 #72

Yes, they are now fracking defenders! treestar Jun 2013 #155

"major climate change initiatives next month" WilliamPitt Jun 2013 #75

I really, really hope that green light doesn't shine. randome Jun 2013 #78

Brace yourself. WilliamPitt Jun 2013 #80

No bets, just hoping he sees a different light. randome Jun 2013 #83

I think the whole point timdog44 Jun 2013 #67

While I am sure there is more to this. NCTraveler Jun 2013 #71

This +n hatrack Jun 2013 #84

Crimes Against Nature H2O Man Jun 2013 #90

Damn straight. And a terrorist sympathizer as well. Jakes Progress Jun 2013 #91

The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same. Tierra_y_Libertad Jun 2013 #94

Well in fairness, Wall Street hates the EPA and wants Rex Jun 2013 #95

The heads of federal departments and agencies sulphurdunn Jun 2013 #100

Your refusal to answer Cerrwidden's post at #42 indicates a bias. I wouldn't call msanthrope Jun 2013 #106

I must be a racist too, Will Pitt. OrwellwasRight Jun 2013 #108

"Make no mistake�... only by poisoning the environment can we save the environment." MannyGoldstein Jun 2013 #112

Clearly, you never truly loved him! joeybee12 Jun 2013 #113

Will has "Gotta Get a Grip." (but, actually he already has)...so GOOD ON HIM! KoKo Jun 2013 #125

Wow really hit a nerve michigandem58 Jun 2013 #115

LOL It's astonishing that people think they are actually REFUTING the charge with all of this Number23 Jun 2013 #123

They are going to tell you all about their Black friends, soon. msanthrope Jun 2013 #124

Oh girl, I have already been lmao about the black boyfriends from 1973 Number23 Jun 2013 #129

Someone's got a Native American great-grandmother? I'm betting she's a Cherokee princess. msanthrope Jun 2013 #130

And this is why I love you Number23 Jun 2013 #131

Aw..thank you!! And hysterical thread.....can I ask who had a black msanthrope Jun 2013 #133

That's not a direct quote. It's entirely possible that I'm getting the Number23 Jun 2013 #135

You know, I wondered where all the Sweet Baby Jesus Bradley Manning posts had gone, msanthrope Jun 2013 #136

knr forestpath Jun 2013 #116

"I guess I must be a racist" was an unnecessary and divisive part pnwmom Jun 2013 #117

Opinions Will Differ On That Thought cantbeserious Jun 2013 #127

POISON blkmusclmachine Jun 2013 #120

That's what it looks like when industry captures a regulatory agency. pa28 Jun 2013 #121

Fascism . orpupilofnature57 Jun 2013 #126

Go back to Mexico City, Lev! SalmonChantedEvening Jun 2013 #139

Sounds like the "pragmatic" woodchucks have taken over the EPA Canuckistanian Jun 2013 #142

Well, they have been wanting to get rid of the EPA... ReRe Jun 2013 #145

When I look at everything... awoke_in_2003 Jun 2013 #150

I guess you must be, if you say you are Scootaloo Jun 2013 #151

Kick, didn't see this yesterday senseandsensibility Jun 2013 #153

Meh. Let them drink Perrier. jsr Jun 2013 #156