Dems seek inquiry into whether oil executives lied to Congress

Democratic senator calls on Senate leaders to seek inquiry into whether oil executives lied to Congress
RAW STORY

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) called on both Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Thursday to join him in pressing the Attorney General for an investigation into whether top oil executives made false statements during a recent Senate hearing when they said they did not meet with Vice President Dick Cheney about energy policy. His call was subsequently joined by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

During a joint hearing of the Commerce and Energy Committees on Nov. 9, senators heard testimony from the CEOs of the nation’s largest oil companies. When Lautenberg asked these witnesses whether their companies had participated in Vice President Cheney’s energy taskforce in 2001, they denied -- answers that were later contradicted by a report in the Washington Post. Cheney has refused to disclose who he met with at those meetings, citing executive privilege.

“If witnesses believe that the laws requiring truthful testimony before the Senate will not be enforced, our hearings will lose their usefulness and the Senate’s oversight abilities will cease,” Lautenberg wrote in his letter to Senators Frist (R-TN) and Reid (D-NV).

Reid concurred.

“I find it deeply disturbing that energy company CEOs may have made false statements before Congress about their involvement in the secretive Cheney energy task force," Reid said in a statement to RAW STORY. "Despite the Vice President’s active efforts to thwart open and transparent government, Congress has the right and the responsibility to seek and obtain information from witnesses that is honest and complete. When evidence arises that some of the statements made to Congress may be false, it calls into question a witness’s entire testimony and undermines Congress’s constitutional role."
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Democratic_senator_calls_on_Senate_leaders_1201.html

:shrug:

Catch 22 - tell the truth and verify your previous lies. Lies again and be prosecuted. Oil Executives can thank that wonderful statesman, Ted Stevens of Alaska for not requiring you to be under oath the first time you lied. And a very warm and cordial fuck you to ted stevens from all the wonderful people of New Orleans who don't give a fuck what you think about what should be rebuilt and where. Let me refer you to the rebuilding of Anchorage, on a fault line, with federal dollars - asshole.

He needs an intervention by an Alzheimer professional.

It will happen but I doubt anything will come of it before then.

Why shouldn't each party have subpoena power, shouldn't matter if they're in the majority or not. Say your congressperson is in the minority that takes away their effectiveness, and doesn't let them represent the district that elected them.

I watched the big oil guys on CSpan the other day, and couldn't believe my ears when the Dem's were shouted down by the Repub's and allowed big oil to testify without being under oath.

The repukes knew this was coming.