Oil Companies Say CEOs' Task Force Statements Were Honest.

This article reports that major oil companies defended their top executives, saying that they did not make false statements at a joint hearing conducted by the U.S. Senate, last week. The issue centers around a question Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, asked five CEOs at last week's hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee as to whether they or other company officials participated in Vice President Richard Cheney's energy task force in 2001. None of the CEOs confirmed that company officials did. Lautenberg responded by asking for a Justice Department inquiry. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee leaders made a separate request for clarification to the oil companies.