The symbiotic connection between government and business is reaching alarming levels in light of recent evidence, indicating that government officials and business executives are increasingly one and the same. Consider the evidence that’s recently come to light.
A recent study by the Washington Post finds that “three of every four gas and oil lobbyists [have] worked for the federal government.” Among those now lobbying for energy companies are 18 former members of Congress and dozens of former presidential appointees. Two of these former officials once directed the Minerals and Management Service, which has faced strong criticism for approving 198 leases for oil wells after the April 30th Deepwater explosion in the Gulf—BP obtained 13 of those bids. An article spotlighted on augustafreepress.com highlights further concerns about the cozy ties between energy lobbyists and government regulators. For those unfamiliar with the MMS, it drew infamy in late 2008 when the New York Times reported that its employees had traded offshore drilling contracts for sex and cocaine parties, all funded by the oil industry. While such details might sound like fiction, the MMS scandal instead underscores how an agency designed to regulate private interests can fail the public trust.
