John Murdock, an attorney who served as a legal adviser at the US Department of the Interior since 2002, resigned on September 30 in protest over what he characterizes as legal and ethical violations within the agency. Murdock, who identifies as a conservative Christian, submitted his resignation letter earlier in the year and went public with his concerns, citing what he describes as “glaring legal flaws” and troubling policy decisions made under the Trump administration.
Murdock’s decision to resign was precipitated by an incident in December involving Matt Giacona, acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, who announced results of an oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico. The lease, known as BBG1, generated over $370 million in bids from companies including BP, Chevron, and Shell. During his announcement, Giacona stated the administration was “upholding the highest environmental standards.” However, Murdock and environmental groups contend that the administration bypassed federal environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, to facilitate the sale. Environmental organizations have filed lawsuits challenging the legality of the administration’s approach. The administration has countered that because Congress mandated the lease sale, the agency lacked sufficient discretion to alter its terms in ways that could affect environmental outcomes.
Murdock also objected to other Trump administration policies at the Interior Department, including exempting Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operations from the Endangered Species Act, decisions to cancel offshore wind projects, and a $1 billion payment to a French energy company to abandon wind lease plans. He additionally criticized internal communications he characterized as promoting excessive devotion to the administration.
Murdock’s departure is part of a broader exodus from federal agencies, with thousands of employees leaving the Interior Department following efforts by Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” to reduce federal employment. An Interior Department spokesperson responded to Murdock’s resignation by stating that “one former employee’s personal disagreement with the Department’s policies does not transform lawful policy decisions into an ‘assault on the rule of law.'”
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