Colorado Politics

The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: We support Bernhardt for Interior secretary

Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt famously carries around a list of former clients from his days as a lawyer lobbying on behalf of oil and gas, water and other interests.

Now that he’s been nominated by President Trump to be the next secretary of the Interior, critics are quick to call him a “walking conflict of interest.” Reporting on Berhardt’s nomination – if confirmed he’ll be the first Western Slope native to hold a Cabinet-level position ­ – the Sentinel’s Dennis Webb found no shortage of conservation and environmental groups saying he’s too conflicted to do the job justice.

Count us among those who take the opposite view. Professionals who make a living within Washington’s policy sphere are going to accumulate potential conflicts of interest if they move between the public and private sector as Bernhardt has done. His list is a good sign that he takes avoiding conflicts seriously.

Read more at The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

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