Colorado's GOP Senator Cory Gardner is now echoing a FOX claim that Halliburton layoffs across four states are the fault of Colorado Democrats who passed new statewide oil and gas regulations. (thread) #copolitics #9NEWS
We'll ask Gardner for evidence supporting the claim that he and FOX are making if he responds to our interview requests. But it's not clear that even Halliburton believes what's being said here.
Halliburton is saying that layoffs in Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, and New Mexico are due to "local market conditions." This is the statement that Halliburton sent me and other news outlets. 
Low oil prices have prompted cutbacks across the industry since late last year. In fact, Halliburton laid off 8% of its workforce for all of North America earlier this year. reuters.com/article/us-hal…
So what is the origin of the claim by Senator Gardner and a media outlet that Colorado's new oil and gas regulations were the direct cause of these layoffs? Not sure. It's not in Halliburton's statement. It's not in Halliburton's layoff notice given to the state of Colorado.
The story linked to the claim, "Halliburton said there is concern over uncertainty after an oil and gas bill" is an AP synopsis of a Grand Junction Sentinel article. The original Sentinel article includes no such claim of causality from Halliburton. gjsentinel.com/news/western_c…
The Sentinel article does quote an industry official as saying the slowdown is due to "price and regulatory concerns."
In short, I can't find Halliburton claiming what's being said by Senator Gardner and a media outlet. Obviously, that would raise questions including how Colorado's new regulations are causing layoffs in three other states. Questions we'll ask Gardner should we get the chance.
