Today, House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman and the MAGA majority tapped a reliable ally of Big Oil and one of the most vocal supporters of the January 6th insurrection, Representative Paul Gosar, to chair U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Reform. In response, Accountable.US released the following statement, exposing his anti-government extremism and industry ties.

Let's be clear, any member of Congress that actively supported the January 6th insurrection or embraced the violent ideology of anti-public land extremists has no place holding a gavel, much less fulfilling the critical constitutional duties of oversight. We likely have McCarthy’s desperate backroom dealing to thank for this selection. Whether it’s elevating insurrectionists or price gouging consumers, Big Oil and their GOP allies will stop at nothing to keep their billion-dollar profits flowing into corporate coffers."

Jordan Schreiber, Director of Energy and Environment at Accountable.US

Gosar’s Extremism: 

  • Paul Gosar urged Trump supporters to “join” him on January 6th to “Fight For Trump” because he believed the election was “stolen.”
  • Paul Gosar Is an outspoken defender of the rioters, who he calls “Peaceful Protestors,” and that videos showing otherwise are “lies.” 
  • Paul Gosar Is a longtime, outspoken critic of public lands protections and tried to sell off Arizona’s public lands.
  • Gosar is in favor of mining anywhere and everywhere. Even on the doorstep of Indigenous sacred sites like the Grand Canyon and Chaco Canyon.
  • Paul Gosar believes that protecting sage grouse Is “one of the greatest threats to the west.” 
  • Paul Gosar opposes national monument protections and received $87,053 from the oil and gas industry.
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