The following story, which revolves around US State Department shilling for US
energy companies overseas, might provide a good plot line for a future ‘House of
Cards’ episode:
A highlight from the piece:
“In some cases, the
State Department had a direct hand in negotiating the deals. Gitenstein, then
the ambassador to Romania, met with Chevron executives and Romanian officials
and pressed them to hand over millions of acres of shale concessions. “The
Romanians were just sitting on the leases, and Chevron was upset. So I
intervened,” says Gitenstein, whose State Department tenure has been bookended
by stints at Mayer Brown, a law and lobbying firm that has represented Chevron.
“This is traditionally what ambassadors do on behalf of American companies.” In
the end, Romania signed a 30-year deal with Chevron, which helped set off
massive, nationwide protests.”