Rendell Writes Pro-Fracking Op-Ed, Fails to Mention Enormous Conflict of Interests

Yesterday, Ed Rendell wrote a big pro-fracking op-ed for the new New York Daily News, in an attempt to sway on-the-fence-and-has-presidential-ambitions Andrew Cuomo to approve fracking in the Empire State. And there was much cheering in gasworld. The Daily News, after learning that Rendell failed to disclose his own ties to the natural gas industry, was less pleased. Rendell is paid $30,000 a year by Element Partners, a private equity firm that invests in natural gas.

“Had I known, I certainly would have disclosed that and conceivably would have made a different judgment on the piece,” Daily News op-ed page editor Josh Greenman (who is incapable of doing a simple Google search) said.

The paper has since added a disclaimer. Upon being reached by a ProPublica reporter, fast Eddie said he should have made the connection clear, while adding that “he does not own equity in Element Partners or any fracking companies. The investigative outlet adds: “Rendell is also a senior adviser at the investment bank Greenhill, which has worked on several large transactions involving natural gas companies.This is not Rendell’s first fracking controversy in recent weeks. In early February, emails revealed Rendell’s personal efforts to convince the Environmental Protection Agency to back off a Texas gas contamination case involving Range Resources, a prominent natural gas driller in Pennsylvania. [ProPublica]