House Natural Resources Chair’s Oil Stock Purchases Were Unusual For Committee

Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) bought stock in a dozen mining, oil and gas giants two months before ramming an industry-friendly budget bill through his committee.

As the House Committee on Natural Resources debated its draft of an unprecedented budget reconciliation bill that would mandate a slew of new leasing for energy projects last week, Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) rattled off the record profits oil and gas giants raked in over recent years.

Then, she detailed some of Chairman Bruce Westerman’s recent stoc…