KCBD, NewsChannel 11 Lubbock |Bush Cabinet official target of corruption probe
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Associated Press - September 18, 2009 1:55 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department is investigating whether former Interior Secretary Gale Norton illegally used her position to steer lucrative oil leases to Royal Dutch Shell.
She now works for the company. Shell's U.S. operations are based in Houston.
Officials with both departments confirmed the investigation to The Associated Press.
Norton couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
A Shell spokewoman says the company is aware of the investigation -- and declined further comment.
The investigation is focused on a 2006 decision by the Interior Department to award three oil shale leases on federal land in Colorado to a Shell subsidiary.
Federal employees are barred from discussing employment with a company if they're involved in a decision that could benefit that company.
Months after granting Shell the leases, Norton left the agency. Shell later that year hired her as an in-house counsel.
The investigation was first reported by The Los Angeles Times.
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