In a recent development, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) have sent a letter to Julia Bernal, the Executive Director of the Pueblo Action Alliance (PAA). This move is part of the committee’s ongoing oversight into the actions of Joe Biden’s U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a Democrat former New Mexico congresswoman. The committee is scrutinizing the potential misuse of her position and her impartiality while holding a cabinet official role.
The letter outlines concerns regarding the nature of the relationship between Secretary Haaland and the Pueblo Action Alliance, an organization actively involved in lobbying, political activities, and advocacy efforts on environmental and energy issues, particularly in the context of oil and gas production on federal lands. Given the Department of the Interior’s responsibility for managing oil and gas production on federal lands, the close association between Secretary Haaland and PAA is raising questions about her role as a cabinet official.
The members of the committee note that Secretary Haaland has reportedly held meetings with PAA leaders during her tenure as Secretary of the Interior, focusing on PAA’s opposition to oil and gas production on federal lands. Additionally, the Secretary has publicly displayed her association with PAA by adorning personal items with PAA insignia. This connection is not one-sided, as PAA frequently highlights its close relationship with Secretary Haaland.
The House Committee on Natural Resources is now keen to investigate the unique dynamics of this relationship, as it raises potential ethical and impartiality concerns.
Furthermore, the committee’s concerns extend to a review of PAA’s history, including its nonprofit status with the New Mexico Secretary of State. Despite PAA operating since at least 2018, it did not formally incorporate in New Mexico until October 15, 2021. More troubling is the fact that the State of New Mexico revoked PAA’s nonprofit status on March 17, 2022. This nonprofit status remained revoked until June 5, 2023. Despite this revocation, PAA continued to function and carry out programming in New Mexico and across the United States from March 2022 through June 2023.
The House Committee finds these developments troubling and is actively seeking to delve into the relationship between PAA and Secretary Haaland, the nature of PAA’s associations with international socialist organizations attempting to influence American policy, and the transparency surrounding PAA’s funding sources and compliance with U.S. nonprofit regulations.
The committee’s oversight requests to Secretary Haaland regarding this issue have been previously documented, and it remains to be seen how these concerns will be addressed moving forward.
The relationship between a high-ranking government official and an advocacy organization is under scrutiny, with questions surrounding the potential impact on policy decisions and regulatory actions in the realm of environmental and energy issues. As the House Committee on Natural Resources continues to investigate, the outcome of this inquiry could have far-reaching implications for Secretary Haaland and her role within the Department of the Interior.
Read the full committee letter here. Read the committee’s oversight requests to Haaland on this issue here and here.
This latest example of corruption is just par for the course for Democrats.
Really? And Rep. Gosar from Arizona is an election denier and a real trouble maker. Need I say more . . . .
Republican politicians sure love their strongly-worded letters. I’m sure they’ll destroy corruption one letter at a time. They’re so brave.
Spoken like a snarky, divisive Democrat! Please open your eyes, JT, to the ongoing changes within our Republic. They’ll be for your benefit, too.
Great answer, Sonia
How do you feel about Jeffrey Epstein’s connection to Deb?
Oh, but Republicans who are in bed with the NRA…well that’s acceptable! SMH
When did the NRA take food out of the native Americans mouth like this hag has and I’m a Democrat and a Native American. #walkaway
Amen, Sister
JT, I am a Republican and fully agree with you. All words and NO bite. Never any real action taken just talk. Half of the Democrats need to be locked up. Best example would be HR Clinton. Our party needs to fully shut down ALL the DC Cocktail parties! I am totally for a government shut down until we get ALL of our needs. Take the blame and roll on.
Oddly, many appointments to government appointments in New Mexico require that one be a member of the Cattle Growers, like the NM Livestock Board and or a hunter or trapper for the Game Commission as I recall.
Deb Haaland and others in the USDA FS and BLM and BIA are very concerning due to conflict of interest issues. Worrying about PAA seems less than LAME and I am specifically not a fan of Sec. Haaland or either corporate party.
You can’t go after Bev Haaland; after all, she is a woman, a minority, a Native and ‘survivor of a 12 step program’ (her campaign ads). You might as well go after ‘The Squad’…. useless, brainless and brain-washed ‘women of Color’. (Sarcasm intended)
Great post TIJERANDY!