Capitol Police Drain the Swamp at Bernhardt Hearing

Masked swamp creatures showed up Thursday at the confirmation hearing of Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt — creating a two-hour political theatre performance, The Washington Post reported.

Quoting a statement from the activists from the Clean Water Fund, Environment America, and Public Citizen, the Post reported the demonstration was aimed at drawing attention to Bernhardt's "long list of conflicts of interest with the oil & gas industry, and highlighting his historic anti-environmental past."

As the hearing got underway, some protesters donned masks resembling the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Others were clad in swamp-inspired green couture and wore masks of Bernhardt's face. The protesters were apparently not escorted out of the room until nearly two hours into the hearing, the Post reported.

The environmental group Greenpeace also took part in the protest, calling Bernhardt "a former oil and gas lobbyist who previously worked to help corporate polluters get their hands on public lands."
Bernhardt was nominated by President Donald Trump in February; he has been acting secretary since Jan. 2, when Ryan Zinke resigned amid multiple ethics probes.

He has drawn criticism for his background as a veteran lobbyist who has helped orchestrate the push at the Interior Department to expand oil and gas drilling, the Post reported.