Interior Secretary David Bernhardt
Credit: Zach Gibson/Getty
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s ethics recusal will expire on Saturday. The ethics pledge banned Bernhardt from decisions involving his former firm’s clients for two years.
Bernhardt was also not able to meet with these companies, unless five or more other stakeholders were present and nothing relating specifically to the companies was discussed.
But all of this is set to change on August 3.
Prior to joining the Interior Department in 2017, Bernhardt worked as a lobbyist for the oil and gas industry via the Colorado law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
Among the firm’s 22 clients that Bernhardt was prohibited from engaging with for two years under his ethics recusal were energy companies Halliburton, Eni, and Statoil (now known as Equinor). Other clients included industry groups such as the U.S. Oil and Gas Association and the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA).
![David Bernhardt, President Donald Trump's nominee to be Interior Secretary, arrives before testifying during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee [...]
</p>
</div>
<div class=](https://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/bernhardt-interior-climate-senate-hearing-fossil-fuel-conflict-interest-ethics-oil-gas.jpg?w=1024&h=683&crop=1)
Remote Viewing the Year 2060
Petroleum IS NOT a “Fossil-Fuel” and it IS NOT “Rare.” It’s just a lie to justify high prices. The truth is out there, go find it!!!
Petroleum IS NOT a “Fossil Fuel,” and it IS NOT “Rare.”