Keywords: obama, epa, war on energy, crucify, romans, energy companies, enforcement
Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe's investigation is in reaction to comments made by Al Armendariz, the EPA administrator in the Region 6 Dallas office.
In a taped conference Armendariz relayed to the audience what he described as a "crude" analogy he once told his staff about his "philosophy of enforcement" of energy companies.
"It was kind of like how the Romans used to, you know, conquer villages in the Mediterranean," he said. "They'd go in to a little Turkish town somewhere, they'd find the first five guys they saw, and they'd crucify them.
Armendariz, who made the comments back in 2010, has since apologized, but his words are out there and are being viewed as insight as to how the administration is treating an industry that employs some 9-million Americans.
Sen. Inhofe who has a large energy base in his home state of Oklahoma, isn't buying the EPA's mea culpa.
"His apology was meaningless," Inhofe told The Daily Caller in a Thursday morning interview.
"We get calls all the time saying 'the EPA has just put us out of business.' I always say, 'send the [EPA's] letter to me' because it is a threat letter that is meant to scare them, to intimidate them and that is what they are doing," Inhofe said.
On Fox News on Thursday, Inhofe said he's launching an investigation, saying "the remarks are "all a part of Obama's war on domestic energy."
"You read his whole statement, and it's pretty revealing," Inhofe said. "And I think when he comes out and apologizes for using the word crucify he's still getting his message across there -- intimidation, threats."
President Obama's Press Secretary Jay Carney said in today's press briefing that the remarks were not representative of the president's view.
Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe's investigation is in reaction to comments made by Al Armendariz, the EPA administrator in the Region 6 Dallas office. 
