It appears the Navy selected a card from ChevronTexaco’s Chairman and CEO Dave O’Reilly’s deck of tricks. Instead of responding personally to O’Reilly’s letter of August 25, 2003, the Secretary of the Navy forwarded it to a subordinate, who informed O’Reilly: “The Navy does not have a role in establishing security restrictions on future use of the property related to the Richmond Refinery.” The entire letter is attached as a PDF file.

Perhaps I was a little overzealous in my previous conclusions about the coziness of the relationship between ChevronTexaco and the Navy. I hope so.

As Richmond moves toward a conveyance date of September 16, there are reports that O’Reilly is growing increasingly hysterical, making demands that the transfer not take place and threatening to go to the mattresses to prevent it. ChevronTexaco appears to be moving into a new heavy-handed persuasion mode, bringing in top secret agencies to intimidate Richmond into submission.

I would reveal more, but I would probably wind up in a cell at Guantanamo Bay for violating some provision of the Patriot Act.

NAVY_LETTER_TO_CHEVRON.pdf