Editing Hazel R. O'Leary (section)

=== Secretary of Energy ===
In a press conference on December 21, 1992, held in [[Little Rock, Arkansas]], then President-elect [[Bill Clinton]] announced his intention to nominate O'Leary as [[United States Secretary of Energy|secretary of energy]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/22/us/the-transition-clinton-chooses-2-and-deplores-idea-of-cabinet-quotas.html|title=The Transition; Clinton Chooses 2 and Delpores Idea of Cabinet Quotas|last=Ifill|first=Gwen|date=December 22, 1992|work=The New York Times|access-date=July 2, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=September 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915114750/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/22/us/the-transition-clinton-chooses-2-and-deplores-idea-of-cabinet-quotas.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Clinton officially made the nomination on January{{nbsp}}20, 1993, and the [[United States Senate|Senate]] confirmed O'Leary by unanimous consent the next day.<ref name="Nelson, Michael, The Presidency">{{cite book |last1=Nelson |first1=Michael |title=The Presidency A to Z |date=October 23, 2012 |publisher=CQ Press |page=666 |isbn=9781452234304 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qMVJCgAAQBAJ&q=Hazel+O%27Leary+January+20%2C+1997&pg=PA666 |access-date=October 12, 2017 |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219222848/https://books.google.com/books?id=qMVJCgAAQBAJ&q=Hazel+O%27Leary+January+20%2C+1997&pg=PA666 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Henneberger, Melinda" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/103rd-congress/76/12?q=%7B%22search%22:%5B%22Hazel+Rollins+O'Leary%22%5D%7D&r=1|title=PN76-12 - Nomination of Hazel Rollins O'Leary for Department of Energy, 103rd Congress (1993-1994)|date=January 21, 1993|website=www.congress.gov|language=en|access-date=June 22, 2017}}</ref> O'Leary was the first woman and first African American to serve as energy secretary.<ref name="Bittner, Drew" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://energy.gov/eere/articles/women-energy-secretary-hazel-oleary|title=Women @ Energy – Secretary Hazel O'Leary|last=Bittner|first=Drew|date=March 17, 2016|website=Energy.gov|access-date=October 12, 2017|archive-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012101209/https://energy.gov/eere/articles/women-energy-secretary-hazel-oleary|url-status=live}}</ref> She was also the first secretary of that department to have worked for an energy company.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/27/us/transition-clinton-s-cabinet-choices-put-him-center-balancing-competing-factions.html|title=THE TRANSITION; Clinton's Cabinet Choices Put Him at Center, Balancing Competing Factions|last=Friedman|first=Thomas L.|date=December 27, 1992|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 15, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> At the time she led the Department of Energy, it had an annual budget of $18{{nbsp}}billion<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-13698296/black-clout-in-the-clinton-administration|title=Black Clout in the Clinton Administration" Vol. 48, Issue 7|date=May 1993|website=|publisher=Ebony|access-date=2017-08-29|archive-date=2017-09-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915070501/https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-13698296/black-clout-in-the-clinton-administration|url-status=dead}}</ref> and approximately 18,000 employees.<ref name="Feder, Barnaby J., New Energy Chief">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/22/us/new-energy-chief-has-seen-2-sides-of-regulatory-fence.html|title=New Energy Chief Has Seen 2 Sides of Regulatory Fence|last=Feder|first=Barnaby J.|date=December 22, 1992|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-10-12|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
[[File:HD.3C.040 (10692119506).jpg|thumb|Left to right: Secretary of Energy Hazel R. O'Leary, John S. Foster, President Bill Clinton, and Mrs. John Foster]]
O'Leary challenged the way the department had traditionally been run, particularly its focus on developing and testing nuclear weapons.<!--<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" />--> During her tenure, the size of the Department of Energy was reduced by a third.<!--<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" />--> It was also a target for Republicans who wanted it eliminated.<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" /><ref name="Feder, Barnaby J., New Energy Chief" /> While reducing the size of the department overall, O'Leary shifted resources toward efficient and renewable energy sources,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.joc.com/olearys-revamped-policy-stresses-efficiency-renewable-energy-sources_19930406.html|title=O'Leary's Revamped Policy Stresses Efficiency, Renewable Energy Sources|last=Reuter|date=April 6, 1993|website=www.joc.com|language=en|access-date=October 11, 2017}}</ref> a priority of the Clinton administration.<ref name="Feder, Barnaby J., New Energy Chief" />

In this position, O'Leary won praise for declassifying old Department of Energy documents,<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" /><ref name="Wald, Matthew, Power is underpriced">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/20/us/power-is-underpriced-energy-secretary-says.html|title=Power Is Underpriced, Energy Secretary Says|last=Wald|first=Matthew L.|date=January 20, 1997|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 12, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> including Cold War-era records that showed the U.S. government had used American citizens as guinea pigs in [[human radiation experiments]], as had long been rumored.<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy">{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/11/24/hazel-olearys-legacy-ruffled-feathers-a-good-record/|title=Hazel O'Leary's Legacy: Ruffled Feathers, A Good Record|last=Warren|first=James|date=November 24, 1996|work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune|access-date=October 11, 2017|language=en}}</ref> Clinton issued [[Executive order (United States)|Executive Order]] 12891, which created the [[Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments]] (ACHRE) to prevent such abuses of power.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/WCPD-1994-01-24/html/WCPD-1994-01-24-Pg118-2.htm|title=Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30 Issue 3 (Monday, January 24, 1994)|website=www.gpo.gov|access-date=June 22, 2017}}</ref> O'Leary also announced a $4.6{{nbsp}}million settlement payment to the families of victims of past radiation experiments.<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" /> Other declassified documents included facts about [[plutonium]] the United States had left in [[South Vietnam]].<ref name="Wald, Matthew, Power is underpriced" />

O'Leary also pushed to end [[Nuclear weapons testing|nuclear testing]] in the United States.<ref name="Bittner, Drew">{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/energy-secretaries-before-rick-perry-2016-12/#1993-1997-hazel-oleary-7|title=Here are the qualifications of all 13 people who served as Secretary of Energy before Rick Perry|last=Letzter|first=Rafi|date=December 22, 2016|work=Business Insider|access-date=June 22, 2017|language=en}}</ref> Her efforts resulted in Clinton signing a test ban on nuclear testing, a ban that other nations joined.<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" /> Early in her tenure as secretary, O'Leary met with whistle-blowers who said they faced harassment for raising legitimate health and safety issues within the DOE.<ref name="Haywood, Richette" /> She announced a "zero tolerance" policy, prohibiting retaliation against whistle-blowers at [[Nuclear power plant|nuclear plants]].<ref name="Henneberger, Melinda" />

O'Leary repeatedly faced criticism during her tenure.<!--<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" />--> The DOE allocated $43,500 to a Washington firm to identify unfriendly media outlets, which White House Press Secretary [[Mike McCurry (press secretary)|Michael D. McCurry]] called "unacceptable."<ref name="Warren, James, O'Leary's Legacy" /> O'Leary claimed the allocation was made without her direct knowledge and defended the research as an attempt to study the efficacy of the department's messaging.<ref name="Lewis, Neil, monitor reporters">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/10/us/energy-secretary-used-fund-to-monitor-reporters.html|title=Energy Secretary Used Fund to Monitor Reporters|last=Lewis|first=Neil a|date=November 10, 1995|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 12, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> A [[Government Accountability Office]] audit of travel criticized her for traveling too frequently and spending excessively on accommodations.<ref>{{cite news|first=Pierre|last=Thomas|title=Energy Dept. Travel Examined; GAO Audit Cites Lax Accounting for O'Leary Trips to India, S. Africa|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-769364.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019204725/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-769364.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2012|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 4, 1996|access-date=2008-02-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Gary|last=Lee|title=GAO Report Blasts O'Leary On Sloppy Travel Records|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-4324017.html|work=Chicago Sun-Times|date=January 5, 1996|access-date=2008-02-03}}</ref> She apologized to Congressional committees in 1996 for spending that exceeded limits on the funds appropriated to the agency for travel.<ref name="Ford, Lynne E.">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cVtFJ5tvINsC&q=hazel+o%27leary+apology+spending+1996&pg=PA349|title=Encyclopedia of Women and American Politics|last=Ford|first=Lynne E.|date=May 12, 2010|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=9781438110325|pages=349–350|language=en}}</ref>

O'Leary resigned from her position effective January{{nbsp}}20, 1997,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36258|title=Hazel O'Leary - Collection Finding Aid · Clinton Digital Library|website=clinton.presidentiallibraries.us|language=en-US|access-date=October 12, 2017}}</ref> explaining she did not wish to stay in the job more than four years.<ref name="Wald, Matthew, Power is underpriced" /> In 1997, [[Johnny Chung]], a Democratic political donor, claimed that O'Leary had met with Chinese oil officials after he gave $25,000 to O'Leary's favorite charity, ''[[Africare]]'', in 1995.<ref name=":0" /> In August of that year, Attorney General [[Janet Reno]] reviewed Chung's allegations to decide whether to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate O'Leary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/09/22/time/reno.clinton.html|title=AllPolitics - Reno Focuses On The President - Sep. 29, 1997|last=Lacayo|first=Richard|date=September 29, 1997|website=www.cnn.com|access-date=December 22, 2017}}</ref> Reno determined there was "no evidence" of wrongdoing by O'Leary and no basis for a further investigation.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03EEDE143DF930A35751C1A961958260|title=The Attorney General's Decision: The O'Leary Case; Reno Backs Former Energy Secretary's Denials of Wrongdoing|last=Stout|first=David|date=December 3, 1997|work=New York Times|access-date=February 3, 2008}}</ref> Some observers, including a lawyer for the Government Accountability Project, saw some fault in O'Leary's conduct but also saw racism and sexism in the way she was treated.<ref name="Henneberger, Melinda" />