Republican senators urge fairness in FTC oil, gas merger reviews

Fair and unbiased review of oil and gas mergers is being requested in the wake of what some in Congress believe is misleading and false information, North Carolina's Republican senators say.

The Federal Trade Commission is hearing it from both sides of the aisle.

Democrats, say 38 Republican senators signing a Wednesday letter, urged the commission to "abuse its authority by arguing that such investigations must be used to stop these companies from discrediting 'climate science,' 'subverting our democratic processes,' and 'frustrate self-governing' through more oil and gas production," a release says.

Chairwoman Lina Khan was the commission's named recipient. North Carolina Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd were signors on the letter anchored by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Cruz is ranking member of the Commerce Committee, McConnell is leader of the party in the chamber, and Graham is ranking member of the Judiciary Committee.

The senators wrote in part, "We respectfully request that the FTC conduct a fair and unbiased review of these mergers that is rooted in the facts, economic realities, and precedent. The oil and gas industry (like any other industry) should not be subject to unfair investigations or heightened antitrust scrutiny in order to further a political agenda that seeks the end of fossil fuel production."