Scalise statement on Inspector General Report detailing Manipulation of Drilling Moratorium

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise today released the following statement after the Department of Interior (DOI) Inspector General released a report detailing the DOI’s investigation into the Federal Moratorium on Deepwater Drilling.   The report comes in response to a letter from Congressman Steve Scalise (LA-1) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA). 

“The Inspector General’s report confirms that the decision to impose a drilling moratorium was based on data that was manipulated by the administration,” Scalise said.  “This is a troubling finding, especially considering that more than 12,000 people lost their jobs due to this political decision that ran counter to the President's own hand-picked scientific experts. The Administration needs to come clean and explain to the American people why they manipulated the peer-reviewed data to reach a political conclusion that is still keeping thousands of people from working safely in the energy industry.”

The Inspector General began the investigation on June 22.  A copy of the original letter by Scalise and Vitter requesting the investigation is attached.

###

Contact: Stephen Bell
202-226-9113