15 groups demand Energy Secretary’s resignation over alleged ethics violations.
Nonprofits Demand Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s Resignation
A coalition of 15 nonprofits dedicated to promoting ethics and integrity in government has written a letter to President Joe Biden, demanding the immediate resignation of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. The group accuses Granholm of repeatedly violating federal ethics laws and regulations, while also setting a poor example for her subordinates.
“We request the immediate resignation of Secretary Jennifer Granholm based not only on her actions – her repeated apparent violations of federal ethics laws and regulations – but also on the ethics failures and legal missteps of her subordinates resulting from her poor example,” the group wrote in their letter to President Biden.
One of the first ethics concerns surrounding Granholm arose in 2021, shortly after she assumed office as energy secretary. During her initial months as a cabinet member, the Biden administration promoted the electric bus company Proterra, despite Granholm still holding Proterra stock options due to her previous position on the company’s board. She eventually sold her stock for $1.6 million, just before an ethics deadline required her to do so.
Granholm was also able to defer paying capital gains taxes on the $1.6 million, as cabinet members are not obligated to pay taxes on stocks they sell to assume office.
Last year, Granholm admitted to paying $400 in late fees for failing to disclose up to $240,000 in stock sales. Initially, her aides claimed she had not broken the law, but later referred to the issue as an “inadvertent clerical oversight.”
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“The planet is warming faster than ever, the cost and impact of extreme weather events are intensifying, and yet what some people are spending their time on is a $400 late fee that was already paid on a clerical oversight,” responded Energy Department spokeswoman Charisma Troiano when questioned about the situation.
Last month, Granholm admitted that her husband owned shares in Ford Motor Company, which she had not previously disclosed. She claimed to have only become aware of the shares in May and stated that her testimony to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in April was a “mistake.” Her husband sold the shares for $2,457.89 on May 15.
Before her husband sold the stock, Granholm filmed a video promoting electric vehicles, in which she rode an electric Ford Mustang. This raised concerns that she was promoting Ford, a company falling under her authority as energy secretary.
“It’s one of two things at this point. She’s either incompetent or lying,” said Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
In addition to the alleged stock violations, Granholm also violated a law that restricts political speech by federal employees, according to a government watchdog.
Nonprofits Call for Accountability
“Since Ms. Granholm’s responses to these allegations have often relied on some variation of ‘it wasn’t my fault,’ this has left the American public wondering where exactly the buck stops in your administration,” the group of 15 nonprofits wrote in their letter to President Biden.
The coalition demanding Granholm’s resignation includes the following nonprofits:
- 60 Plus Association
- AMAC Action
- American Accountability Foundation
- CFACT
- Conservative Caucus
- Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation
- Eagle Forum
- Energy & Environment Legal Institute
- David Bozell of ForAmerica
- Heartland Impact
- Heartland Institute
- L. Brent Bozell III, founder and president of the Media Research Center
- Project 21 Black Leadership Network
- Protect the Public’s Trust
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