Home Opinion Biden Under Pressure to Fire Energy Secretary After Alleged Ethics Violations

Biden Under Pressure to Fire Energy Secretary After Alleged Ethics Violations

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm should be removed from her position amid a “litany” of alleged ethics violations, a group of conservative leaders report.

More than a dozen conservative leaders, including Media Research Center President Brent Bozell, sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting Granholm’s resignation “based on a series of violations of federal ethics laws and regulations,” the MRC reports.

“In light of the repeated ethical lapses, as well as the apparent tolerance of a lax culture of ethical compliance at the Department of Energy, it is crucial for ensuring the trust of the American people that Secretary Granholm be immediately relieved of her duties,” the letter to Biden states.

The letter lists a “litany of abuses of public trust,” including:

Failure to accurately report financial holdings

Participating personally and substantially in matters directly benefiting a company in which she had a financial interest

Inappropriately using her official position to promote products for multiple companies in which she had a financial interest or covered relationship

Abusing her position of authority and misusing government resources to advance partisan activities in violation of the Hatch Act

Signaling to career civil servants and senior political leadership under her command that policy objectives take priority over basic compliance with ethics and legal obligations.

The letter also accuses Granholm of using her office to boost the value of her stock in Ford Motor Company.

“The recent revelations about Secretary Granholm’s continued financial ownership of Ford stock while acting to enrich – and at times even publicly endorse – the company is egregious,” the letter read. “However, it is simply the latest incident evidencing recklessness at best and intentional disregard for the law at worst.”

The leaders also demand Granholm’s resignation for engaging in prohibited partisan political activity noting the Office of the Special Counsel found Granholm violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits government employees from using their positions to engage in some forms of political activity, in an October 2021 interview.

“Taken together, these episodes cast serious doubt on the Secretary’s fitness to hold a cabinet seat,” the letter reads.

“You often speak of maintaining the highest standards for your administration’s appointees. It is past time that you demonstrate that this promise holds some meaning,” the letter concludes.

Granholm would not the first Biden administration Energy Department official to resign in disgrace.

Former Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman amid allegations she used her office to benefit a former employer.

Senior DOE official Samuel Brinton was also fired and later arrested for stealing womens’ luggage from airports.

Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

4 COMMENTS

  1. All these old timers, Biden, McConnell, Pelosi, Feinstein and the whole geriatric ward in the Senate and Congress think they are doing the American people a favor, a Red Badge of Courage, by staying in office when in fact they are doing themselves and our county a tremendous disservice. Biden’s whole administration are a JV Team members. We need the best and the brightest in these important positions. Hate to say it but The Biden Crime family has been totally compromised.

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