Big Oil Lied to Congress

Oil executives from big oil companies met with Vice President Cheney's energy task force in 2001, something long suspected by environmentalists, but these executives lied when questioned last week testifying before Congress. The Washington Post, has a White House document that shows officials from Exxon Mobil Corp., Conoco (before its merger with Phillips), Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. met in the White House with the Cheney aides who were developing a national energy policy. It’s a crime to lie to Congress (although, it isn’t a crime for Congress to lie to us). Even if you are not under oath, which Commerce Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) refused to swear in the executives. I guess you feel a little uneasy asking the OWNER"S to be put under oath. The NY times reports: Senators from both parties demanded Wednesday that several oil executives explain statements they made to Congress last week about their ties to the energy task force led by Vice President Dick Cheney. From the Washington Post: Document Says Oil Chiefs Met With Cheney Task Force By Dana Milbank and Justin Blum Washington Post Staff Writers Wednesday, November 16, 2005; Page A01 A White House document shows that executives from big oil companies met with Vice President Cheney's energy task force in 2001 -- something long suspected by environmentalists but denied as recently as last week by industry officials testifying before Congress. Commerce Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) Thanks to MONK for the pic