Amid allegations of false testimony and ethical violations by Biden Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) has demanded that Congress launch an impeachment inquiry into the Biden admin official.
Tenney voiced her concerns during a House Science and Technology Committee hearing on Thursday, as she highlighted Granholm’s wrongful conduct since taking office in Jan. 2021. She accused the Energy Secretary of multiple violations of the Hatch Act, a law that restricts federal employees from engaging in certain political activities.
Tenney’s concerns revolve around Granholm’s ownership of Proterra and Ford stocks, which she held while President Joe Biden promoted these companies. She argued that this violated the Hatch Act, which aims to prevent government officials from using their positions for private gain.
Perhaps the most significant accusation made against Granholm was that she lied under oath to Congress. During her testimony, she stated that she did not own any individual stocks, a claim that was later proven false.
GOP rep calls for impeachment inquiry into Biden energy secretary Granholm: 'she lied, under oath' https://t.co/NWObfnRL4q
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“No, I’m invested in mutual funds… I’m not owning individual stocks,” the energy secretary stated in response to a question from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).
Now asking for the false testimony to not be let go without consequences, Tenney stated on Thursday, “Since taking office in January of 2021, Secretary Granholm has violated the Hatch Act multiple times. She owned Proterra stock while her boss, President Biden, repeatedly promoted the company. Her husband owned Ford stock while she personally promoted the companies’ work with official resources.”
“And most critically, she lied, under oath, to Congress, claiming that you did not own any individual stocks when in fact she did. If anyone would like to dispute these charges, all the evidence you need is in the articles I submitted into the record,” she added.
Granholm’s actions, according to Tenney, demonstrate a disregard for the rules and a willingness to lie to Congress under oath. She pointed to the Department of Energy’s ethics guidelines, which emphasize the importance of public servants prioritizing the Constitution, laws, and ethical principles over private gain.
“That’s perjury, period,” Tenney asserted. “Why should you not resign or why should we not consider some kind of impeachment inquiry into you for your perjury charges?”
In response to Tenney’s questions, Granholm chalked her dishonesty up to a mistake. “Of course, I do not believe it’s okay to violate ethics laws. Nor does anyone else in the Department of Energy. I made a mistake when I testified, saying that I had sold all stock. I honestly thought we had,” she stated.
Granholm’s false testimony under oath was revealed earlier in June when she admitted in a letter to lawmakers that she had falsely testified under oath during a Senate hearing in April when she claimed not to own any individual stocks.
While Granholm did divest from various stocks in 2021, she conceded in the letter that she still held shares in six companies, all valued at up to $120,000. This admission contradicted her earlier claim that she had sold all her individual stock holdings, raising questions about her credibility and adherence to ethical standards.
Furthermore, Granholm revealed that her husband, Daniel Mulhern, owned shares in Ford Motor Company, which were sold in May after the oversight came to light.
Granholm expressed regret for the omission, stating, “As a public servant, I take very seriously the commitment to hold myself to the highest ethical standards, and I regret the accidental omission of my spouse’s interest in Ford. This is a commitment I made to you, the President, and most importantly the American people.”
After the admission, Hawley demanded a hearing to investigate the false testimony as many Republicans accused her of “questionable ethical conduct.”
