【girls face expressions during sex video】The latest Republican conspiracy theory about environmental groups is a doozy

House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith thinks that the Russian government is girls face expressions during sex videofunding environmental groups in return for their activities to hinder U.S. oil and gas production.

A six-page letter sent by Smith and another Republican lawmaker on June 29, asks Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to launch an investigation into "what appears to be a concerted effort by foreign entities to funnel millions of dollars through various non-profit entities to influence the U.S. energy market." The letter was revealed in a Friday press release from the Science Committee.

The Russians' goal, Smith and Rep. Randy Weber of Texas wrote, is to prop up their domestic oil and gas industry by stymying the hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, for oil and gas resources in the U.S.

SEE ALSO: Summer's here: Time for people to get weird about sleeveless dresses in Congress

The natural gas boom in the U.S. has driven prices down and diminished Russia's role in the global energy market. The Trump administration is moving quickly to shelve regulations on oil and gas producers that could interfere with their efforts to take advantage of natural resources, regardless of the environmental and public health consequences.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The administration is also moving to increase U.S. oil and gas exports, which would compete with Russian exports to Europe in particular.

The letter alleges that the Russian government has been funneling money through Bermuda-based shell companies to environmental groups. Those groups are fighting for restrictions to oil and gas exploration activities.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

The letter cites news reports in conservative publications, including this story in the Washington Free Beacon, and points to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails released by Wikileaks, among other sources, as evidence of Russia's interest in bankrolling environmental groups in the U.S. However, the Free Beaconstory, along with several others, were based on research done by a PR front group, known as the Environmental Policy Alliance, with a record of ties to the energy industry.

This raises the question of whether Smith is using the alleged Russian activities as cover to go after environmental groups, who are no friend of his.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The Sierra Club, which is one of the groups named in the letter as receiving Russian funding, pushed back strongly against the allegations.

"It is pathetic that Congressional Republicans are making absurd and false smears dreamed up by deceitful front groups doing the dirty work for big polluters and big tobacco," said Melinda Pierce, the group's legislative director.

"If Congressional Republicans are so concerned about Russian influence, they should start seriously investigating that country's interference in our election, not attacking long-standing environmental organizations," she said in a statement.

"The Sierra Club’s staff, donors, and our 3 million members and supporters have been fighting for clean energy and climate action to protect the health of our communities for decades, because it is what our planet requires and what our families deserve. That’s not just key to our organization’s historic mission, it’s what huge majorities of Americans across the country support.”

Since his chairmanship began in 2013, Rep. Smith has turned the Science panel, which was one of the last bastions of bipartisanship in Congress, into a committee that regularly plays host to climate deniers and critics of the science research conducted at federal agencies. In particular, Smith has been a harsh critic of the Environmental Protection Agency and climate research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

---

Featured Video For You

---

It's official, 2016 was Earth's warmest year on record

---

• hotspot
• knowledge
• explore
• synthesize
• focus
• recreation
• relaxation
• fashion

• ‘Free! Take Your Marks’ Screening Nationwide for One Night Only
• Sassy toddler does NOT want to hear it from any adult
• Politicians change 404 error page to troll UK Prime Minister Theresa May
• The internet memes the crap out of the 'Murder on the Orient Express' trailer
• UCLA Nikkei Student Union’s Cultural Night
• J.K. Rowling just absolutely destroyed yet another troll
• Google points out everyone's terrible spelling, and then misspells a word
• Jeremy Corbyn can't resist a delicious Pringle while greeting his supporters
• Bokashi Composting Workshop at JACCC
• Reddit posts can now have location tags via Foursquare

• CCTV debuts AI anchors as part of Two Sessions coverage · TechNode
• Alibaba’s grocery unit head steps down in latest overhaul: report · TechNode
• Genshin Impact developer miHoYo makes debut in top 10 among global top 50 publishers · TechNode
• Dingdong Maicai halts nearly 40 site operations in Guangdong amid cost squeezing · TechNode
• Save 25% or more on select stays at Hotels.com
• Trump fires Copyright Office leaders as new AI report surfaces
• Electric vertical takeoff and landing craft completes first flight in Shenzhen · TechNode
• Best Samsung deal: Save $100 on Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
• Comparing Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. iPhone 16
• Whiteout Survival achieves $500 million revenue within one year of release · TechNode

• Makeup Artist Tsuji Wins Oscar for 'Darkest Hour'
• Your cat will be flying in style in this new spaceship
• Ivanka Trump tweets support for LGBTQ people, and you can guess what happens next
• Hare caught smoking a cigarette has everyone making the same joke
• On the Road with Hello Kitty
• Trump is back from Europe and ready to ruin Twitter again
• This elderly man's Instagram account has gone viral for an adorable reason
• This is maybe the best online resume tool yet
• Умельцы воссоздали GTA в Warcraft III
• On the anniversary of Harambe's death, the internet grieves with memes

• New Exhibition Exploring Hapa Identity to Open at JANM
• Twitter is mocking this political graph for a very good reason
• CNN fires Kathy Griffin over her controversial Trump photo shoot
• People are going 'covfefe' over Donald Trump's 'covfefe' tweet
• OCO Crowns Mochitsuki Champs
• People think Maya Angelou just died thanks to Facebook
• Google pays homage to an architectural genius with its latest doodle
• People are going 'covfefe' over Donald Trump's 'covfefe' tweet
• El Camino College to Celebrate Spring with Annual Cherry Blossom Festival
• Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner's latest Twitter exchange may be the sweetest yet