Federal Watchdog Requests Investigation of False Statements to Congress

Complaint claims Tracy Stone-Manning misrepresented the facts in an eco-terrorism case

Today, Federal watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) requested the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia begin an investigation into whether the Biden Administration’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management, Tracy Stone-Manning, violated Federal law by providing false testimony to Congress. Ms. Stone-Manning’s representations on her written testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources appear to conflict with the facts around an eco-terrorism incident and the resulting investigation.

In answering the committee’s official questionnaire, Ms. Stone-Manning appears to have knowingly and willfully concealed or covered up a material fact in order to deceive the U.S. Senate and the American public about the true nature of her involvement in an eco-terrorism case. She was granted immunity for her testimony in the case that resulted in at least one individual serving prison time. The facts, including as revealed by a U.S. Attorney and Ms. Stone-Manning’s previous assertions, warrant a full investigation.

Ethics questions regarding Ms. Stone-Manning’s previously undisclosed preferential loan she received in 2008 and actions around her involvement in the eco-terrorism case have been raised by a number of current and former officials, most notably Bob Abbey, former BLM Director during the Obama Administration. The director of the BLM leads approximately 40,000 employees and volunteers at the agency.

“While we have no position on the confirmation of Ms. Stone-Manning, laws like the False Statements Act exist for a reason. The U.S. Senate depends on complete and truthful answers during the confirmation process to fulfill its constitutional duty. Without this, Senators cannot do their jobs and the American public can lose faith in the character and integrity of its high-ranking officials,” Michael Chamberlain, Director of Protect the Public’s Trust stated. “There are significant inconsistencies between the available facts and Stone-Manning’s statement under oath to the Senate committee. The American public deserves a thorough and complete investigation.”

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