Projection On Interior Building Before “God Squad” Meeting Calls Out Burgum's un-American Censorship

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the eve of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s unprecedented convening of the so-called “God Squad,” Save Our Parks projected several messages onto the facade of the Interior Department building, calling out Burgum’s reckless schemes on behalf of the oil industry to ignore science, circumvent the Endangered Species Act, and potentially condemn an endangered whale to extinction. The projection read:

“Doug Burgum’s Playing God With America’s Public Lands & Wildlife.”
“Burgum’s Censoring Science, History, And The Truth.”
“GOD SQUAD ENTER HERE.”

“Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has a ‘god complex’ over America’s parks, public lands, and wildlife. Throughout his entire tenure in the D.C. swamp, Burgum has used the heavy hand of government to muzzle the truth, limit public participation, strip science from decisions, and even whitewash and censor our history,” said Jayson O’Neill, spokesperson for Save Our Parks. “Now, Burgum and his so-called ‘God Squad’ are continuing this failed leadership, ignoring science and public opinion to serve the interests of his buddies in the oil industry. Burgum’s censorship is as unpopular as it is un-American.”

Getty Images available here. Graphics & other photos are available for download here

The action comes as Burgum convenes the Endangered Species Committee – known as the God Squad – for a meeting for the first time in 35 years. The meeting was initiated by an executive order and will be chaired by Burgum. Burgum’s God Squad is expected to exempt endangered species protections for industrial oil and gas exploration, development, and production in the Gulf of Mexico. The unprecedented decision to exempt ESA protections has never occurred before, and Burgum is violating the law in the process. Burgum previously gutted public participation and limited informed decision-making.

Burgum’s God Squad has the power to greenlight extractive development even if they risk the extinction of endangered wildlife. This meeting could drive the Rice’s whale to extinction and put dozens of other threatened species at risk. Disregarding science and wildlife is part of Burgum’s sweeping campaign across America’s parks, public lands, and waters to sell out and sell off America’s natural resources, wildlife, and outdoors.

Burgum has been under fire for his un-American censorship across the nation’s parks and public lands. He’s also faced growing concerns about skyrocketing energy prices for consumers, including the one billion dollar taxpayer giveaway to cancel a cheaper wind energy development project, among many others.

House Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif) called out the illegal attacks on the ESA and, along with 52 House members, called on appropriators to block all funding for Secretarial Order 3431, the Trump directive Burgum is using to erase and whitewash history, remove educational materials, and censor the truth.

Additional Resources:

To speak with Save Our Parks spokesperson Jayson O’Neill, email jayson@focalpointstrategygroup.com.

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Save Our Parks Shines a Light on Doug Burgum’s God Complex Over America’s Public Lands & Wildlife

Doug Burgum is Playing God With America’s Wildlife