Colorado native David Bernhardt was sworn in to office Tuesday morning as deputy secretary of the Interior Department to the .
“Exciting day!” Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke tweeted in a picture showing Bernhardt being sworn in. “Dave is a seasoned Interior veteran and will be a huge asset.”
Exciting day! Today I swore in our new Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt. Dave is a seasoned Interior veteran and will be a huge asset
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke)
Bernhardt’s nomination to the post by President Donald Trump , with Colorado’s U.S. senators, Republican Cory Gardner and Democrat Michael Bennet, in support. In his vote, Bennet split with many in his caucus.
Bernhardt, originally from Rifle, has held several positions at the U.S. Department of the Interior, including solicitor — the agency’s third-ranking position — and chief legal officer. He’s with the Denver-based law and lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
The new deputy secretary’s recent clients included mining interests and energy companies, leading some Democrats and .
Conservation Colorado said last week that it was disappointed by Bernhardt’s nomination and Bennet’s decision to support it. Groups such as the Colorado Water Congress and the Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable wrote letters to lawmakers in support of Bernhardtap nomination.
.’s nominee for Dep Sec of the , David Bernhardt, is a corporate insider & walking conflict of interest.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren)