Letter to the Hon. Raul Grijalva, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources - Natural Resources Committee Republicans Request More Transparency in Partisan "Hearings"

Letter

Dear Chairman Grijalva;

We, the undersigned members of the House Natural Resources Committee, write to urge you to
cease broadcasting partisan, misleading virtual "forums" through the Committee's webpage,
Facebook Live, and YouTube accounts. Broadcasting partisan meetings is in direct violation of
Committee Rules, as approved on January 30th, 2019.

To date, the Majority have held more than a dozen virtual "forums" or "roundtables" through the
Committee's YouTube and Facebook accounts. These meetings have been hyperlinked on the
Committee's "Hearing" webpage and been have featured by a live banner on the Committee's
homepage, in a fashion identical to a Committee hearing or markup.

These meetings, which have taken place without Minority involvement, are strictly partisan in
nature. With titles such as "Behind the Curtain: The Trump Administration's Fossil Fuel Agenda
During the Pandemic," Minority members and staff have not been given the opportunity to
participate in the planning or execution of these meetings, much less offer a witness or prepare
members.

However, it is not merely the partisanship or minority omission that we take issue with, but the
way these meetings have been portrayed to the American public. By utilizing the same
methodology and distribution as official Committee business, these partisan meetings are
portrayed as official Committee business. This is deliberately misleading. Further, this portrayal
clearly violates Committee Rule 2(c), which states: "Operation and use of any Committee
internet broadcast system shall be fair, and nonpartisan, and in accordance with clause 4(b) of
House Rule XI and all other applicable rules of the Committee and the House."

Mr. Chairman, the ongoing use and operation of the Committee's broadcast systems is neither
fair, nor bipartisan. Posing these partisan events as hearings is incredibly misleading, and in
violation of Committee and House rules. It would be wise for you to review these rules and
evaluate potential avenues to operate within them. We have some specific recommendations that
could be helpful as you assess options, if you're inclined to work together. In the meantime, we
ask that the distribution of these meetings on Committee systems cease immediately.
We look forward to the day in which we can continue our spirited debate on Natural Resources
issues in person. Until then, we ask that the Committee rules be followed, and that the broadcast
and distribution of these partisan and grossly misleading forums cease immediately.