Veteran conservative lawyer quits Trump’s interior department and warns of ‘assault on the rule of law’
Summary
John Murdock, a lawyer with 18 years at the US Department of the Interior, resigned, criticizing actions under President Trump’s administration. He highlighted legal problems, environmental concerns, and a controversial offshore oil and gas lease sale that ignored some environmental laws.Key Facts
- John Murdock worked at the Department of the Interior’s legal office since 2002 and resigned on September 30.
- Murdock described a “deeply troubling assault on the rule of law” during Trump’s time in office.
- His resignation followed concerns about offshore drilling, fossil fuel expansion, and the dismissal of environmental rules.
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) held an oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico that raised over $370 million.
- BOEM’s acting director, Matt Giacona, claimed the sale met high environmental standards, despite legal challenges.
- Environmental groups argue the lease sale illegally ignored key laws like the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
- The Trump administration said the lease sale had to happen because Congress required it, limiting their ability to change the process.
- There has been a broader loss of federal workers and scientists in the Interior Department and other agencies recently.
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