Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Fort Worth's Corrupt Conflicts Of Interest From Yesterday & Today On My Blog & In Fort Worth Weekly

Yesterday I got a blog comment from someone named Anonymous to a blog post from over 3 years ago; January 4, 2009, to be precise.

The blog post commented on was titled "Corrupt Conflicts Of Interest Taking Over Fort Worth."

The comment seemed to allege an erroneous allegation about someone named David Lunsford.

About David Lunsford the January 4, 2009 post said...

And in yet one more example of a conflict of interest, this morning I learned that Lead Gas Drilling Inspector, David Lunsford, now works for a pipeline company. Lunsford has been quoted as saying he rarely received complaints. Lunsford was known to dismiss gas drilling concerns out of hand. One can not help but wonder how much effort Lunsford put into protecting the public, when he had a cushy pipeline job waiting for him.

I do not remember who was sending me info about these conflicts of interest and David Lunsford, now, over 3 years later, though I sort of have a slight inkling as to who it was.

I referred to this individual as "Deep Throat." Very original.

I hit the publish button on the comment, yesterday, and thought no more about it.

Until today when I was reading the latest edition of Fort Worth Weekly.

The comment from Anonymous, to my blog post from over 3 years ago, was......

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Corrupt Conflicts Of Interest Taking Over Fort Worth": 

From Check your facts - David Lunsford had no cushy pipeline job to go to. He left because of the illegal corruption brought about by the new city manager. In fact because of his high standards and not wanting involvement in the city's illegal actions he quit. SO before you go throwing blame around you need to check your facts. 

And then, just a few minutes ago I'm reading this week's FW Weekly's Static column titled "Smart Career Move", to read the following two paragraphs....

Remember Fort Worth Mayor Ken Barr? He helped draft the city’s first gas well ordinance in 2001 and then stepped down as mayor. Barr’s departure allowed the oil-rich ex-Sen. Mike Moncrief to become mayor and provide protection for the industry in those early years before anyone knew to ask questions about pipelines, water usage, toxic emissions, infrastructure damage, decreased property values, etc.

What happened to Barr? He went to work for Chesapeake. So did Brian Boerner, Fort Worth’s former environmental manager. The gas industry also hired David Lunsford, who was Fort Worth’s lead gas inspector in those early years and never met a drill rig he didn’t love. Meanwhile, little known (and ethically challenged) Eastside resident Danny Scarth served on the city’s gas drilling task force in 2006 and was so friendly to drillers that they financed his campaign for city council, where he remains.

Methinks maybe it is this guy or gal named Anonymous who needs to do him or herself some fact checking.

2 comments:

Don Young said...

I photographed the map and the one of the Dunaway truck. Dunaway himself was on the original gas drilling Task Force in FW and a corrupt MF he is/was. Lunsford is guilty as sin as I wrote back then.

Steve A said...

Doing a bit of research of my own, it appears that Mr Lunsford works for Univeral Ensco, which now is Universal Pegasus. As far as I can tell, they are not a gas firm, but their main business is to provide engineering services to oil and gas companies. It really doesn't look like a quid pro quo to me. Where else would a gas and oil expert go when he left the city? I don't think his skills would be best used at Kroger's. See the UP site at: http://www.universalensco.com/