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- Kathleen Sgamma withdrew her nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management.
- Utah Sen. Mike Lee announced the withdrawal without explanation during a committee hearing Thursday.
- Environmental groups criticized Sgamma over transparency issues.
SALT LAKE CITY — Kathleen Sgamma, who headed the Western Energy Alliance representing independent oil and gas operators in the West, abruptly withdrew her nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management on Thursday morning.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and chairman of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, made the announcement during Thursday's hearing in which she would have been up for consideration.
Lee gave no explanation during his brief comments, but environmental opponents to her selection referred to an internal memo she wrote to industry members of the alliance in which she expressed disgust over the events that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021, at the nation's Capitol over President Donald Trump's assertion the election was "rigged" causing his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race.
"I am disgusted by the violence yesterday and President Trump's role in spreading misinformation that incited it. I am disgusted he discredited all the good work he did reorienting the judiciary back toward the respect for the rule of law and constitution by dishonoring the vote of the people and the rulings of those very same judges on his numerous challenges," the memo by Sgamma reads.
She also criticized Trump's behavior toward agencies, adding she was disheartened he besmirched "his smart, well-intentioned people," who did such good work on important policies.
The memo to alliance members also conveys her disgust over the summer of 2020 riots, the violence, the killing of people and the "dishonest media" that routinely lied and misled the public to suit a particular agenda.
In the Jan. 7, 2021, memo spread by Documented, Sgamma spoke favorably of the presidential election results in the race between Biden and Trump.
"The moderating results of the election, from defeating Donald Trump to the razor-thin margin in Congress provide hope for a resurgence of sanity if we all help achieve that reality through our personal and professional conduct," she wrote. "We wish President Biden the best of luck in his goal to return to normalcy and moderation, even as we oppose policies that aren't moderate or normal. Both normalcy and moderation must be achieved."
The Western Energy Alliance confirmed the memo Thursday. Since Sgamma's nomination to head the BLM, her successor has been picked for the industry organization.
Melissa Simpson will start next week as its president.
Simpson has over 20 years of experience in natural resources, energy, public lands and conservation policy work.
Multiple environmental groups reacted to the news and also included links to the memo spread by Documented.
"Kathleen Sgamma should have been transparent with the Senate and released the list of Western Energy Alliance members. We don't yet know why her nomination was withdrawn. But it would be ironic, if not fitting, if secrecy and her lack of candor with the White House ultimately cost her the nomination," said Aaron Weiss, deputy director with the Center for Western Priorities.
"The Trump administration should avoid nominating anyone else with massive conflicts of interest to lead the Bureau of National Management and instead focus on implementing Congress's multiple-use mandate for America's public lands."
