Did Hatch Oil Up his Resume?

In the middle of yesterday’s meltdown, Sen. Hatch twice claimed to have once been in the oil industry and therefore had intimate knowledge about what it takes to make a profit in the business.

Come on, America, wake up. I am sick of it. I used to be in the oil business. I know how hard it is. …

I get tired of the populist rhetoric on the other side of the aisle that never gives any consideration to how difficult it is to be in this business. I don't have any financial interest in oil. All I can say is that I have been there, I know what it is like. …

Oddly enough, none of the material in Hatch’s official bio mentions his oil business experience, and an initial search found no previous instances of him mentioning it. In addition, glancing at his official bio, its hard to tell when he could have spent any meaningful time in the business.

At an early age, Senator Hatch was taught the value of hard work. His father worked long hours as a metal lather to provide for his family. As a young man, Senator Hatch also learned the metal lathing trade and was a card-carrying member of the AFL-CIO. He worked his way through college at Brigham Young University, graduating in 1959 with a degree in history. He was awarded a full honors scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh Law School. As a law student, he struggled to provide for his growing family, working as a janitor, a metal lather and at night as an all-night desk attendant in a dormitory. In 1962, he received his Juris Doctorate, graduating with honors. After receiving his law degree, Senator Hatch was a practicing attorney, first in Pennsylvania then in Utah, until his election to the United States Senate in 1976. Since then, Senator Hatch also has received five honorary doctorate degrees from law schools and universities.

Unless he’s counting all the time he spent carrying water for the oil industry in the U.S. Senate, its not entirely clear what Sen. Hatch is talking about. Of course, if he’s never really been in the oil business, he lies well enough to have a post-Senate career as an oil executive.