Clinton State Dept. Emails, Mexico Energy 'Reform' and the Revolving Door

STEVE HORN, steve at desmogblog.com, @Desmogblog
Horn is editor of Desmogblog, and recently wrote the piece: "Exclusive: Hillary Clinton State Department Emails, Mexico Energy Reform and the Revolving Door," which states: "Emails released on July 31 by the U.S. State Department reveal more about the origins of energy reform efforts in Mexico. The State Department released them as part of the once-a-month rolling release schedule for emails generated by former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, now a Democratic presidential candidate.

"Originally stored on a private server, with Clinton and her closest advisors using the server and private accounts, the emails confirm Clinton's State Department helped to break state-owned company Pemex's (Petroleos Mexicanos) oil and gas industry monopoly in Mexico, opening up the country to international oil and gas companies. And two of the coordinators helping to make it happen, both of whom worked for Clinton, now work in the private sector and stand to gain financially from the energy reforms they helped create.

"The appearance of the emails also offers a chance to tell the deeper story of the role the Clinton-led State Department and other powerful actors played in opening up Mexico for international business in the oil and gas sphere. That story begins with a trio.

"David Goldwyn, who was the first International Energy Coordinator named by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009, sits at the center of the story. As revealed by DeSmog, the State Department redacted the entire job description document for the Coordinator role.

"Goldwyn now runs an oil and gas industry consulting firm called Goldwyn Global Strategies, works as counsel as an industry attorney at the law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, and works as a fellow at the industry-funded think tanks Atlantic Council and Brookings Institution. ...

"Carlos Pascual, Goldwyn's successor as International Energy Coordinator, who oversaw the creation of the State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources as mandated by the Department's 2010 Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, serves as another key character.

"So too does Neil Brown, a former top-level staffer for Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) who now works at the private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. ...

"Goldwyn, Pascual and Brown now stand to gain financially from the Mexico energy reform architecture they helped envision and construct. ...

"To date, [Clinton] has not commented on the energy reform efforts in Mexico her State Department helped spearhead, which will usher in more deepwater offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and onshore fracking in Mexico's portion of the Eagle Ford Shale basin."