In June 2012 Reuters tried to stir up trouble against Chesapeake Energy by broadcasting “leaked” emails that somehow magically appeared on the Reuters doorstep that supposedly show Chesapeake trying to collude with Encana Energy to keep the price of Michigan state land oil and gas leases artificially low (see Did Reuters Break the Law with Latest Chesapeake Story?). Eventually Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed charges against Chesapeake, even though the federal government investigated and didn’t find anything worth pursuing. Schuette put his reputation on the line and was hell-bent to ensure he got something/anything out of Chesapeake. Schuette finally has a settlement–for a measly $25 million (see Michigan Succeeds in Shaking Down Chesapeake for Measly $25M). It likely cost Schuette’s department more $25 million to pursue Chesapeake. But, Schuette’s shakedown let him save face. Perhaps in an effort to repair the damage done to his reputation with the drilling industry, Schuette recently delivered the keynote speech at the Michigan Oil and Gas Association’s Annual Meeting. We have a copy of the speech below. The interesting part is Schuette’s full-throated support for the NEXUS Pipeline: “A great example of the work being done in the energy industry is the DTE NEXUS pipeline. The NEXUS project is a way to look to the future, and ensure that Michigan customers have the natural gas supply we need. I applaud the work being done to make sure we have efficient, modern pipelines in our state.” We’re glad to see Schuette, a Republican, back on the right side of the ledger…
