'Suddenly' reassigned Energy Dept. director has GOP senators asking questions

A group of Republican senators is raising concerns over the reason behind the Biden administration “suddenly” reassigning a Department of Energy director.

In a letter sent to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Tuesday, Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and other GOP lawmakers wanted an answer as to why Steven Black, the director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN), had been transferred to a “senior adviser” position in the Energy Department on October 17, with no apparent explanation given.

The lawmakers are “raising alarm bells” with Granholm “regarding a troubling report on the state of the counterintelligence enterprise at the Department, and questioning whether this report played a role in the reassignment of Steven Black,” a press release on Risch’s website reads.

“Black was reassigned to a new position in the Department after leading the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN) for eleven years. The Senators request that, until questions about counterintelligence at the Department are answered, Black not be assigned to any Office in the Department of Energy with a national security mission,” the release added.

If Director Black presided over DOE-IN while there were serious counterintelligence shortcomings, he should not be reassigned to any office within the Department that has a national security mission. We need answers.

— Jim Risch (@SenatorRisch) November 21, 2023

“We write seeking answers to urgent questions raised by a recent personnel decision within the Department of Energy,” the letter to Granholm stated, wanting to know why Black was “suddenly and without explanation reassigned.”

“We are told he will be taking on a new role as ‘Senior Advisor’ in the Department, they added.

“We are also aware that a study conducted by an outside contractor, which the Department has had in its possession since April, outlines disturbing findings as to the state of counterintelligence across the Department, to include the national laboratories,” the senators wrote.

They reiterated the importance of the DOE and its research, “especially at the national laboratories,” which is “among the most important national security work undertaken by this country.” The lawmakers expressed that the study’s findings “are deeply concerning.”

“If Director Black presided over DOE-IN over a period of time in which there were serious shortcomings with regard to counterintelligence, he should not be reassigned to any office within the Department that has a national security mission. We request that you refrain from reassigning Director Black to any Department office until we have received answers to these questions,” they continued.

Risch was joined in the letter by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and James Lankford (R-Okla.)

The senators listed questions they wanted answered such as why Black was reassigned after 11 years in the position.

“Did the findings outlined in the contractor study factor into your decision to reassign him?” they asked Granholm.

“In which part of the Department will he serve as ‘Senior Advisor’?” the lawmakers added, going on to ask when the department became aware of the study from April, as well as whether it agreed with the conclusions.

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Frieda Powers

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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.

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