Rep. Landry Stands by 'Gestapo' Dig Against Oil Regulator

Louisiana Rep. Jeff Landry is standing by his charge that the nation's leading offshore oil and gas regulatory agency is acting "like the Gestapo." Asked if he had any regrets using the name for Hitler's deadly security force, Landry replied: "Absolutely not. I didn't name-call them. I used it as an adjective or an adverb in saying it was like, it was similar." Landry made the accusation last week after Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement staffers didn't arrange a last-minute meeting during his unannounced visit to the New Orleans branch to discuss drilling permits, reports the Times-Picayune. "I'm not going to get into this political niceness," the GOP congressman told Politico. "The Man is not allowing US congressmen to visit their offices. There's something wrong with that."

BOEMRE Director Michael Bromwich said New Orleans officials were “deeply disturbed” by Landry's choice of words “They are aware, as I am sure you are, that the Gestapo were the German internal security police under the Nazis, known for its terrorist methods,” Bromwich wrote in a letter to Landry. “Your comparison of the minor inconvenience you experienced to the tactics and methods of the Nazi secret police is simply unacceptable from anyone, but especially from a public official. I would strongly suggest you consider a public apology to our personnel, which include many of your constituents." (More Jeff Landry stories.)