Biden administration official privately briefed former employers donors on energy policy, text messages show

FIRST ON FOX: A senior Biden administration official briefed a « donor-only » event held earlier this year by the Energy Foundation, his former employer, according to records obtained by an energy policy group.

Allison Clements, Democratic commissioner of the five-member Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), ultimately agreed to attend the Jan. 10 backer event despite an official from the Energy Foundation suggested his presence may be « inappropriate », according to text messages and emails obtained. by the Institute for Energy Research (IER) and shared with Fox News Digital.

« I don’t know if it’s inappropriate to ask or not – would you be interested/willing/available to speak with the Ferc 2022 Priorities Funder Group, » Fossil Fuels Program Director Meredith Wingate wrote. from the Energy Foundation, in a text message to Clements in December.

Wingate then said the band would consider postponing the event if Clements couldn’t attend on Jan. 10.

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A week before the Jan. 3 event, Energy Foundation senior program associate Sandy Carter emailed FERC staff a schedule for the event that included a « funders only » and a Clements-led briefing and Q&A afterwards.

« I thought your comments were very interesting and helpful in focusing our group on ways to support successful advocacy at FERC, » Wingate emailed Clements two days after the event, thanking her for her presence.

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While the content of Clements’ briefing remains unclear, the IER and ethics experts said his attendance at a meeting of apparent Energy Foundation donors raised ethical questions.

“Regularly meeting with far-left organizations that she worked for creates a disturbing impression,” IER President Tom Pyle told Fox News Digital. « Informing funders of these groups about the ‘FERC opportunity’ is inevitably inappropriate. »

“At the very least, Commissioner Clements should recuse herself from voting on matters of interest to the Energy Foundation,” he continued. « If she were a Republican commissioner who was so comfortable with industry representatives, the left would call for her resignation. »

FERC Commissioner Allison Clements is interviewed in October 2021.
(The Hill/YouTube/Screenshot)

Clements served as Director of the Energy Foundation’s Energy Markets Program for two years prior to her appointment to FERC in 2020. The group’s mission is to deliver a « just economy powered by clean energy, » according to her website.

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Kendra Arnold, executive director of the government ethics watchdog group, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, noted federal rules prohibiting government officials from doing business with any party regulated by their agency. One or more individuals attending the Energy Foundation event may have interests affected by FERC policy development.

« General ethics rules dictate that a government employee should not seek contributions from anyone who is regulated by, does business with, seeks official action, or has interests that may be affected by the government agency. or the department the employee works for, » Arnold told Fox. Digital News.

« Furthermore, a government employee should not use government authority or resources to fundraise, i.e. title, position, equipment, » she said.

FERC Commissioner Allison Clements speaks at a policy forum in November 2021.
(The Policy Circle/YouTube/Screenshot)

Arnold added that additional information would be needed to determine if an ethics violation occurred. For example, if the Energy Foundation raises funds through Clements’ appearance or if his briefing was a donor benefit, there may have been a violation.

“It would be important to know what type of event it was and in what capacity and role she appeared, including whether it was a fundraising event, a closed event or open to the public, and if her appearance was to raise money for her former employer,” she continued.

« Not only can ethical issues arise from his interactions with a former employer, but also from event attendees if they have business before his federal agency. »

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However, a spokesperson for Clements dismissed concerns that the commissioner had engaged in unethical behavior, saying she regularly updates stakeholders on FERC’s activities as part of her « policy of the open door ».

« The Commissioner has an open-door policy and, subject to ex parte restrictions, has held hundreds of stakeholder meetings during her tenure on the Commission, including with representatives of utilities, regional network operators, pipeline companies, consumer advocates, NGOs and trade associations,” a spokesperson for Clements told Fox News Digital.

And the Energy Foundation also said the event is part of its regular slate of industry briefings.

« Energy Foundation supports education and analysis to promote non-partisan and equitable policy solutions that advance renewable energy and energy efficiency while opening doors to greater innovation and productivity – growing the economy with dramatically less pollution,” Energy Foundation spokesperson Omer Farooque told Fox News Digital. in an email.

« To further our mission, we regularly host briefings for the climate and clean energy philanthropy community to hear from experts in the field. »

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Farooque did not respond to a question about the briefing being a « donors only » event.

FERC Chairman Rich Glick testifies during a March 3 Senate hearing.
(Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee/YouTube/Screenshot)

In addition to the Energy Foundation briefing, however, other emails obtained by IER showed that Clements had consulted with leaders of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), another climate group for which she previously worked.

In April, Clements met privately with Manish Bapna, president and CEO of the NRDC, records show.

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The IER obtained the records as part of its broader effort to obtain communications between the White House and FERC Chairman Rich Glick. The group filed a lawsuit against FERC over allegedly obstructed records requests.

« We have given FERC every opportunity to provide documents confirming that Commissioner Glick and Commissioner Clements are not coordinating with the White House on the Biden administration’s ‘whole of government’ approach to imposing a climate agenda despite the ‘absence of instructions from Congress to do so,’ Pyle told Fox News Digital at the time.

« So far, FERC hasn’t given us anything conclusive. »