Trump’s Interior Secretary Burgum Caught With Hand In Cookie Jar On International Jet-Setting Junket
Burgum's Trip Raises More Questions Than Answers, As Interior Refuses To Provide Transparency
HELENA, MT – Where in the world is Interior Secretary Doug Burgum? It’s usually hard to tell. He prefers that the American people stay in the dark while he lays off thousands of Interior employees, guts a fourth of the National Park Service staff, and seems to only show his face when doing select media appearances or hobnobbing at international oil conferences. Well, this week, Burgum is doing exactly that. As our parks and public lands fall into disrepair under his “fail-by-design” strategy, and national park employees, firefighters, and emergency responders go without pay during the shutdown, Burgum is on a luxurious weeklong swing through the Middle East and Europe, with stops in Abu Dhabi and Athens.
In response to Burgum abandoning the American people and schmoozing with oil barons and royalty, Save Our Parks spokesperson Jayson O’Neill issued the following statement:
“Interior Secretary Burgum just got busted for ignoring his responsibilities and jetsetting across the world. Every American should be concerned that Burgum is spending his time and tax dollars taking junkets as our parks and public lands languish. It’s clear his top priority is providing white glove, concierge service to fossil fuel interests and monied donors. Americans expect transparency and accountability from the Interior Secretary, yet Burgum continues to operate in secrecy as he and the Trump administration plot ways to sell out our nation’s resources. The American people deserve to know if and why Burgum is gallivanting across the globe on the taxpayers dime.”
Burgum’s taxpayer-funded trip is rumored to include additional stops in Bahrain, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. During Trump’s first term, former scandal-plagued Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke found himself in hot water and the subject of numerous investigations for his scandals and international junkets on the taxpayer dime. Trump eventually fired Zinke for violating the agency’s travel policy and other scandals.
Unanswered Questions For Burgum and the Interior Department:
Are these flights commercial or private air travel, and who is paying?
Is Harold Hamm, Continental Resources, or other billionaire oil and gas executives with close ties to the Trump administration involved?
Are members of Burgum’s family traveling with him and is he taking vacation while DOI employees are struggling to make ends meet during the shutdown?
What was the total cost of the trip?
What other Interior officials, NEDC members, and Big Oil powerbrokers are on the trip?
Who is footing the bill for Burgum’s security detail?
What other agreements to export domestically produced American energy were made?
Why is the Trump administration and Burgum pushing for LNG exports, which will further increase electrical prices for Americans?
Why is Interior and Burgum refusing to disclose information and be transparent?
A U.S. Energy Information Administration study and Moody’s have repeatedly found increased U.S. natural gas exports drive higher utility prices for U.S. consumers. To speak with Save Our Parks spokesperson Jayson O’Neill, email jayson@focalpointstrategygroup.com.
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