Contact: Marc Morano (202) 224-5762 Marc_Morano@epw.senate.gov

Matt Dempsey (202) 224-9797 Matt_Dempsey@inhofe.senate.gov

 Inhofe Applauds IG Investigation into Leak Case

 “As we work to provide more accountability and increase transparency in our government, it is imperative we hold those who break the rules responsible…it’s simply the right thing to do.” 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today applauded the Inspector General of the Commerce Department for pursuing the investigation of a premature and unauthorized release of an ucleared draft of the Department of Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and the Department of Commerce’s NMFS-NOAA proposed revisions to the regulations concerning consultations of Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Commerce Inspector General Todd Zinser subpoenaed the National Wildlife Federation and demanded it disclose documents that identify the source of the leaked draft environmental rules.

“As we work to provide more accountability and increase transparency in our government, it is imperative we hold those who break the rules responsible,” Senator Inhofe. “Maintaining the integrity of the interagency review process is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the unauthorized release of such potentially controversial, yet critically-needed regulatory reforms indicates a serious abdication of duty among one of the Services’ personnel. Importantly, no one disputes a rule was broken. To get to the bottom of this, I requested the IG’s office to identify the person responsible and hold them accountable. I applaud the IG for moving forward on this investigation. It’s simply the right thing to do.”

The investigation was requested by Senator Inhofe on August, 25, 2008. A link to Senator Inhofe’s letter to the IG is available by clicking here.

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