On Tuesday’s broadcast of Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) opposed attempts by the Trump administration to reopen a pipeline in the state by saying that there is not a national energy emergency and also saying that “The answer is, end the military conflict in Iran. He should’ve never gotten us into it in the first place. It has made gas prices spike. It lays at his feet, his actions, his conduct vis-à-vis Iran, period, full stop.”
Co-host Kailey Leinz asked, “Does the president forcing these kind of issues, forcing offshore drilling in the Pacific, for example, is that an answer, somewhat, to this spike?”
Bonta answered, “No. The answer is, end the military conflict in Iran. He should’ve never gotten us into it in the first place. It has made gas prices spike. It lays at his feet, his actions, his conduct vis-à-vis Iran, period, full stop. His attempts to reopen the Sable offshore pipeline will have no impact on the prices. The amount of oil that moves through that pipeline is negligible, a fraction of 1%. We don’t have a national energy emergency, despite the claims of the president. We produce more oil and gas than we actually use. And so, the attempts for the Trump administration to take over the Sable offshore pipeline and provide an emergency permit and federalize it and to invoke the Defense Production Act [are] all inappropriate. It tramples on California’s state sovereignty, as well as violates existing court orders. So, these things are not connected. Trump owns the increased prices across the country.”
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