During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing Thursday, GOP Senator Josh Hawley rendered a Biden Energy Department official speechless as he exposed how he and his ilk attend so called ‘pay to play’ speaking events.
Hawley questioned Jigar Shah, the Director of Loan Programs, regarding paid events DOE officials attend and often speak at, and the conflict of interest this creates.
Shah talked himself into a corner and then went silent:
“You’re the Director of the loan programs for the federal government Department of Energy. People who want to get loans from the government are paying to see you and you think that that’s fine?” an exasperated Hawley noted, before adding “that’s not a rhetorical question.”
In a further tweet, Hawley referred to reporting on how the Loans Program Office has $400 billion at its disposal from legislation, including the so called ‘Inflation Reduction Act’ to subsidize ‘green’ energy development.
Biden’s DOE Inspector General Teri Donaldson warned during the hearing that the program is “ripe for abuse”:
Hawley wasn’t done there, he also called on Donaldson to investigate illegal stock trading by Department officials, in light of reports that hundreds of DOE officials hold stocks related to the agency’s work.
“I am firmly of the view that we need to change the law here,” Hawley noted, adding that “Senior executive branch officials should not be able to own individual stock, nor should members of Congress. We shouldn’t be stock trading.”
The full exchange is below:
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