No energy ‘gang’ in Murkowski’s future

Don’t look for Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the top Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to join the bipartisan energy “gang” that Sens. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) are reviving.

Murkowski told reporters Wednesday that the committee is the best venue for crafting energy measures. She called the “gang” a sign that energy has risen to the top of the agenda, and noted, “I probably will not be counted in the group.

“My focus will be on what we are building at the committee level. I happen to be a pretty strong believer in the committee process. We have some pretty great resources at our disposal. We can vet issues through the committee process in a way that really helps to build legislation that works,” Murkowski said.

“Not to say that you can’t have good, workable legislation that comes outside the process, but I’m going to be working within the committee process,” she added.

Andrew Restuccia contributed.