Chair Brian Egolf Puts Gag on Bratton

Posted by Jim Spence on Monday, January 31, 2011
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Don Bratton
Santa Fe – When the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee received a new Chairman (Brian Egolf), House GOP members said they were willing to work in a spirit of fairness. It now appears the new Chairman may not share that desire, especially with those who have serious concerns about his aggressive "global warming" agenda. While raising what seemed to be reasonable questions about the credentials of a witness during the Committee meeting on Monday, Rep. Donald Bratton (Hobbs, Dist. 62) was abruptly silenced by Egolf. Rep. Bratton was told by the Chairman he was "out of order" in his questions. “If it’s out of order to question the credentials of a witness,” says Rep. Bratton, “then I’m wasting my time and the people’s money.” In response to the Chairman’s actions to push his own agenda, Rep Bratton decided to leave the hearing. 
Bill Gray
 After Bratton's departure members of the House GOP who serve on the committee decided on their own to follow. “The purpose of this committee is to determine fact, not to disseminate propaganda,” says Rep. Bratton. House GOP members of the committee are now raising concerns about how the committee will operate. Rep. Bill Gray (Artesia, Dist 54) the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee says “When one member of the Committee is silenced so are the people they represent, the people of New Mexico deserve to be heard.” The stated agenda for the meeting called for "Presentations of the impact of rules on oil and gas production," each House GOP member on the committee represents a district where oil and gas production takes place.
Brian Egolf
House Energy Chair Egolf is reportedly a vocal supporter of Al Gore's so-called Cap and Trade legislation which is languishing at the federal level. Egolf also appears to strongly support the progressive movement's push for the process that delegated law-making power to a quasi-government entity known as the Environmental Improvement Board (EIB). The EIB of New Mexico unilaterally made rulings on election day in New Mexico in 2010 that will curb both energy production and the state tax revenues that come with that production. This move which was engineered by former Governor Richardson infuriated incoming Governor Susana Martinez. Egolf's dictatorial style may well be a sign of things to come in the days and weeks ahead. Experts speaking to News New Mexico have indicated that any legislation that damages energy production and diminishes severance tax revenues will surely be vetoed by Governor Martinez.


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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Global warming is a ruse. It's a scam designed to raise money for government spending.

January 31, 2011 at 6:05 PM
Anonymous said...

Egolf is a respected leader to a significant population of New Mexicans who hold a different opinion on certain issues and who have every right to see these stands represented in our legislature. If the opposition can't behave maturely whose fault is that? I would have an equal amount of scorn for a group of progressives who just walked out of a hearing where witnesses they disagreed with wear testifying. The fact remains though, why didn't Bratton, Ezzell, Kintigh, Strickler, Gray and Bandy call any witnesses of their own? Did they plan this ruse ahead of time?

Another article explained it thusly:

While Rep. Al Park (D-Albququerque) was asking a series of questions, Rep. Don Bratton (R-Hobbs) raised his hand. After Chairman Egolf nodded in his direction, Bratton started to ask Sorvig about his credentials in the oil and gas industry. Egolf told Bratton that Park still had the floor and that Republicans had been invited the previous week to bring their own witnesses to the committee hearing.
With that, Bratton collected his belongings and walked out of the hearing with the rest of the Republican contingent — Rep. Candy Ezzell (Roswell), Rep. Dennis Kintigh (R-Roswell), Rep. James Strickler (R-Farmington), Rep. Bill Gray (R-Artesia) and Rep. Paul Bandy (R-Aztec) — followed Bratton out the door.

Egolf apologized to Sorvig and Siwula Brandt for the Republicans leaving the hearing, saying “it was quite rude.”
* * *
You might disagree with a witness and their material bitterly but to just walk out the door is inexcusable, petty, and infantile. But for not one man but SIX grown men to do so sounds fishy and pre-planned. Is this kindergarten? Can we not expect a bit more maturity of our so-called leaders?

January 31, 2011 at 9:07 PM
Anonymous said...

I was there. Egolf told Bratton he was out of order because Bratton interrupted a witness who was responding to a question by Al Park. Egolf said Bratton was out of order, and then followed that by noting that Park had the floor.

February 1, 2011 at 4:43 AM
Anonymous said...

Egolf is not respected amongst those New Mexicans who are unemployed and have watched the left-wing loons here in New Mexico killing jobs and passing "cap & tax" laws, outside the legislature, that cripple our economy under the guise that we're saving the planet. Egolf is an ideological loon hell bent to run off the biggest bread winning industry in New Mexico. Republicans don't have to sit on their hands while Egolf incinerates what's left of the gas and oil business in New Mexico.

February 1, 2011 at 12:39 PM

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