BP CEO John Browne and U.S. Interior Department official resign
In one of the oddest corporate tumbles in recent memory, BP CEO John Browne has resigned over allegations that he lied in court about the origins of his four-year relationship with a male escort. Huh wha? Browne, who spent 41 years rising through the oil giant's ranks, was slated for early retirement this summer as a result of BP's recent leak 'n' explosion troubles. But he moved that date up after a tabloid published an exposé that included allegations that he had used company resources to support his companion -- charges BP has cleared him of. Browne forgoes about $30 million in benefits, along with any chance of a snicker-free future. In similar but less salacious news, embattled Interior Department official Julie MacDonald has resigned just as Congress was preparing to review concerns about her oversight of the Fish and Wildlife Service, including charges that she altered reports to minimize endangered-species protection. Why did she resign? To spend more time with her family, of course.
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Steven Mufson, 02 May 2007
straight to the source: The New York Times, Alan Cowell, 02 May 2007
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Elizabeth Williamson, 02 May 2007
see also, in Gristmill: BP CEO resigns
see also, in Grist: Interior Department official disparages endangered-species recommendations
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Comments
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rivergal Posted 5:51 am
03 May 2007
Browne resigned over a personal matter that may have involved misuse of private corporate resources. It's none of my business who he spends personal time with and even if he used BP money (right now all we know is that it's alleged) that's something that can be remedied in court.
MacDonald was a public servant, sworn to uphold the Constitution in the deliverance of her official duties, who was found (not just charged) by her Department's own Inspector General to have violated federal law by giving privileged information to the Pacific Legal Foundation, a so-called "wise use" anti-environment litigator. This, along with her ESA report alterations (she's not a scientist) ARE my business! I paid her salary. Her malfeasance affected two Department of Interior bureaus (FWS and NPS) that she oversaw -- bureaus that are critical to environmental protection. She betrayed the public trust, as did Stephen Griles, who emerged from the same Bush-Cheney muck to mess up DOI. I hope my government throws the book at her and her slimy associates. She deserves prison for leaking official documents for political gain.
Next time, Grist writers, please put the emphasis where it belongs! I don't think most of your readers respond to the homophobic insinuation about Browne that the rest of the press is titillating us with, either.
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