Reps. Kucinich and Waxman Request Information on Hunt Oil Deal

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/27719

Reps. Kucinich and Waxman Request Information on Hunt Oil Deal
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-10-15 18:33. Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 15, 2007) — Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee, and Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, sent a letter to Hunt Oil Company CEO Ray Hunt and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker requesting information about a recent oil exploration contract Hunt Oil signed with Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government.

The text of the letters is below:

October 15, 2007

We are writing to inquire about the recent oil exploration contract your company, Hunt Oil, signed with Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government. By signing a contract directly with a regional government, you may have undermined U.S. national policy of working toward the passage of an oil revenue sharing plan, which the Bush Administration has called a critical step towards national political reconciliation in Iraq and the return home of U.S. troops.

The U.S. Embassy has expressed concern about your actions, and Iraq’s Oil Minister immediately condemned the deal, calling it “illegal.” Even President Bush, one of your close friends and business associates, stated:

I knew nothing about the deal. I need to know exactly how it happened. To the extent that it does undermine the ability for the government to come up with an oil revenue sharing plan that unifies the country, obviously if it undermines it I’m concerned.

In particular, concerns have been raised about whether you used nonpublic information learned from your position on the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board to further your company’s economic interests. This board is tasked with providing “advice to the President concerning the quality and adequacy of intelligence collection, of analysis and estimates, of counterintelligence, and of other intelligence activities ... the legality of foreign intelligence activities.” Its members routinely meet with intelligence principals, receive classified briefings, visit installations, and “have access to all the information related to foreign intelligence that they need to fulfill their vital advisory role.” Indeed, all departments and agencies that engage in intelligence activities are bound by executive order to provide the board with “all information ... deem necessary to carry out its responsibilities.”

We are assessing whether this is a matter that should be investigated by the Committee. For this reason, I ask that you provide the Committee with the following documents:

1. Copies of any information you received in your capacity as a member of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board relating to Iraq, Kurdistan, the Iraqi national hydrocarbon law, U.S. diplomatic efforts at national Iraqi reconciliation, as well as any information regarding negotiations, contracts, or other interactions with the Kurdistan Regional Government; and

2. Copies of all communications, including e-mails, between any official, employee, or agent of Hunt Oil and any official, employee, or agent of the federal government relating to Iraq, Kurdistan, the Iraqi national hydrocarbon law, U.S. diplomatic efforts at national Iraqi reconciliation, as well as any information regarding negotiations, contracts, or other interactions with the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Please provide the requested information by Friday, November 2, 2007.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee in the House of Representatives and has broad oversight jurisdiction as set forth in House Rule X. Enclosed with this letter are instructions on how to respond to the Committee’s document request.

If you have any questions about this request, please contact Theodore Chuang or Matt Siegler of the Committee staff at [phone].

Sincerely,

Henry A. Waxman Chairman

Dennis J. Kucinich Chairman Subcommittee on Domestic Policy

cc: Tom Davis Ranking Minority Member

Darrell E. Issa Ranking Minority Member Subcommittee on Domestic Policy

[superkia]

1. Its nice to see one of the candidates trying to do something.

Having someone interfere in Iraq, just help keep our troops even longer. You would think that more candidates would step up for that reason but I guess its just not important to them.

[AntiFascist]

3. K&R, the actions of Hunt Oil...

could it also be fueling the conflict with Turkey? This in turn is driving up oil prices and benefitting the domestic oil companies and other Bush cronies. The actions of rogue Bush/Cheney cronies should be viewed as nothing less than threats to our national security, even going back to 9-11.

[Gonzo Gardener]

2. Good! K&R