House Democrats Accuse Energy Secretary of Lying to Congress

Two House Democrats have accused Energy Secretary Chris Wright of lying to Congress regarding the cancellation of green grants. Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Gabe Amo have formally referred him to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for potential prosecution.

In a letter released on Wednesday, they claimed that Wright had falsified information when he testified that the cancellation of billions in climate-related funding was not a partisan decision targeting Democratic states. Lofgren and Amo wrote to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, stating, “Secretary Wright lied to the Committee with his statements, which sought to prevent us from learning the truth: that the October award terminations were an act of political retaliation.” They cited a violation of 18 USC §1001, which prohibits making materially false statements to Congress.

This referral does not automatically lead to action by the DOJ, nor does it imply Wright’s guilt. However, it highlights escalating tensions over the approximately $8 billion in funding that the Trump administration cut last year.

An anonymous Energy Department spokesperson insisted that no termination decisions were politically motivated. “The Secretary’s statements in his testimony are correct,” read an emailed comment.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter. I’m Rachel Frazin, keeping you updated on policies affecting energy and the environment.

Essential Reads

How current policies impact the energy and environment sectors:

• Sens. Martin Heinrich and Sheldon Whitehouse are urging an investigation into issues with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
• Legislative pressure is building to prevent the impending time shift back to standard time, with interest from the White House.

What We’re Reading

Additional news highlights include:

• EPA’s Omaha cleanup boasts success, but some areas still contain hazardous lead levels (Flatwater Free Press/ProPublica).
• A Sunrise Movement co-founder and a data center critic advances in a primary election (E&E News).

On Tap

Upcoming events and topics include:

• The Senate Agriculture Committee will review its version of the Farm Bill.

Stay informed on these themes and events affecting the sector. For further updates and insights, subscribe to The Hill’s Energy and Environment newsletter.