Back in November '05, when gas and energy prices were skyrocketing, Congress had executives from the major oil companies come in and answer questions about their record-breaking profits, among other things. A week later the Washington Times reported that all but one of them flatly lied to Congress and the American people about being on Dick Cheney’s secret energy task force.
There was a minor flap; a few members of Congress made outraged noises demanding that the execs come back and explain themselves. Then the price of gas dropped back to pre-Katrina prices and the whole story evaporated, as far as I can tell.
It is illegal to lie to Congress, even though these guys were pointedly not under oath at the time. Has anybody heard of anything coming of this? Were these people fired, fined, charged with anything, or are they still under investigation? Or did they just privately agree to stop ripping us all off so brazenly so the controversy could blow over?
[nitpick]I think you mean the Washington Post, at least that is what you linked to. (The Washington Times was presumably too busy publishing exposes claiming that Iraq’s WMD’s really existed or that the Bush Administration prevented many more hijackings of airplanes or some other such crap.)
Who was the chairman of the committee who flat-out refused Democratic requests to put the oil executives under oath, and how much did this chairman receive from the oil companies in campaign donations?
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 47 > § 1001
§ 1001. Statements or entries generally
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—
(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a party to a judicial proceeding, or that party’s counsel, for statements, representations, writings or documents submitted by such party or counsel to a judge or magistrate in that proceeding.
(c) With respect to any matter within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch, subsection (a) shall apply only to—
(1) administrative matters, including a claim for payment, a matter related to the procurement of property or services, personnel or employment practices, or support services, or a document required by law, rule, or regulation to be submitted to the Congress or any office or officer within the legislative branch; or
(2) any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee, subcommittee, commission or office of the Congress, consistent with applicable rules of the House or Senate.
