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David Longly Bernhardt, veteran Department of the Interior employee, has been nominated by President Donald Trump and Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke as the Interior’s Deputy Secretary. Bernhardt has previously held a variety of positions in the Interior Department including that of Solicitor, deputy solicitor under former Interior Secretary Gale Norton, deputy chief of staff and counselor to the Secretary, and as director of congressional and legislative affairs and counselor to the Secretary.
“I am excited to announce the President and I have selected Dave Bernhardt to help me lead the Interior Department,” said Secretary Zinke. “Bernhardt’s extensive experience serving under former Interior Secretaries Norton and Kempthorne and his esteemed legal career is exactly what is needed to help streamline government and make the Interior and our public lands work for the American economy.”
Bernhardt who earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado, is also a graduate, with honors, from the George Washington University National Law Center and a member of various state and federal court bars. He recently served on the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries for the Commonwealth of Virginia and has previously served as the United States Commissioner to the International Boundary Commission U.S. and Canada.
“Dave Bernhardt is an excellent choice to be Deputy Secretary. After I became Secretary of the Interior, Dave was unanimously confirmed by the Senate to be the Solicitor, Interior’s highest ranking legal officer. Dave provided wide counsel based on thoroughly understanding issues being decided. He is thoughtful and fair. The Solicitor’s Office, Interior political and career staff and the Department’s diverse stakeholders respected Dave’s intellect, leadership and management skill. I commend President Trump and Secretary Zinke for selecting Dave to help manage a Department that has operations in all 50 states and many parts of the world,” said former Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne.
Bernhardt’s resume also includes more than five years as the top lobbyist for Westlands Water District in Central California. According to McClatchy DC Bureau, as Westland’s lobbyist he sued the Interior Department and lobbied the Justice Department and Congress to conclude a settlement potentially worth more than $375 million to Westlands.
A vocal opponent of Bernhardt’s nomination, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, (D-CA 2nd District) recently claimed that, “Bernhardt is a walking conflict of interest. He should absolutely have to recuse himself from anything having to do with Westlands Water District. That is the most obvious of ethical fault lines here.”
For their part the Department of the Interior said that Bernhardt had submitted to, “an extensive preclearance examination with the department’s senior ethics officials and the Office of Government Ethics.”
If he is confirmed Bernhardt will serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the Interior Department those the formal title is that of Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior. Bernhardt’s nomination to the Interior Department position if subject to confirmation by the United States Senate.
