The Hill
written by Laura Barron-Lopez
Wednesday April 9, 2014
The Senate confirmed Neil Kornze as head of Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tuesday evening.
President Obama tapped the former aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for the post in November. Kornze will direct the Interior Department branch that regulates oil-and-gas drilling, renewable power development and conservation on huge swaths of federal land.
Kornze worked in the acting capacity as BLM's deputy director for a little over a year. Previously, Kornze served as a senior official at BLM since 2011 and from 2003-2011 worked in a variety of posts for Reid.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell applauded the Senate's confirmation of Kornze.
"With strong Western roots and a deep understanding of the issues, , Neil for more than a decade has proven himself to be a creative and results-oriented professional, and has been a great asset to the Interior Department when it comes to promoting smart energy development and driving thoughtful landscape-level planning efforts," Jewell said in a statement Tuesday.
"The BLM is one of the most complex federal land management agencies, and I know that Neil’s practical and commonsense approach to problem solving will help the Bureau fulfill its multiple use and sustained yield mission.”
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Breitbart's BIG Government
written by Wynton Hall
September 4, 2012
The son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Rory Reid, is the primary representative for ENN Energy Group, a Chinese energy company seeking to build a $5 billion solar panel plant on a 9,000-acre Clark County desert plot in Laughlin, Nevada.
ENN scored big when Clark County commissioners unanimously voted to sell the Chinese company the public land for just $4.5 million, despite the fact that it was appraised at $38.6 million.
Sen. Reid has been one of ENN’s biggest supporters, having recruited the company during a 2011 trip to China. According to Reuters, last month Sen. Reid tried to “pressure Nevada's largest power company, NV Energy, to sign up as ENN's first customer.”
Both Rory Reid and Harry Reid deny having ever discussed the $5 billion Chinese solar panel plant deal:
"I have never discussed the project with my father or his staff," said Rory Reid. Kristen Orthman, a spokeswoman for the senator, said he had not discussed the project with his son.
This isn’t the first time the Reids have come under fire for alleged cronyism. In 2003, allegations emerged that Nevada industries frequently lobbied Sen. Reid through his well-connected relatives.
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