Big Oil Lies To Congress. Yawn

I told you. Oil industry executives were called before Congress. They were not required to take an oath before testifying. They were asked if they had taken part in the Vice President’s Energy Task Force. It’s always been suspected, but the identities of those participating have been kept secret. What is known is that there were no consumer or environmental advocates present.

The chief executives of Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips said their firms did not participate in the 2001 task force. The president of Shell Oil said his company did not participate “to my knowledge,” and the chief of BP America Inc. said he did not know.

Uh-oh. It turns out that Secret Service documents this kind of thing.

The document, obtained this week by The Washington Post, shows that officials from Exxon Mobil Corp., Conoco (before its merger with Phillips), Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. met in the White House complex with the Cheney aides who were developing a national energy policy, parts of which became law and parts of which are still being debated.

So, no big surprise, they lied. It’s no wonder Republicans didn’t want them to testify under oath. I believe it’s a crime to lie to Congress whether you took an oath or not. Hopefully, there will be charges against these sleazeballs. I’m not holding my breath.

Oh, and keep in mind what has happened since this meeting between oil executives and the Vice President’s Office. Oil prices have doubled since then, and oil company profits have reached levels not seen in any industry in the history of mankind.

I’m sure it’s all coincidence.