Charles “Chuck” Hamel (July 12, 1930 — April 9, 2015) was an American congressional aide and oil industry whistle-blower.
Biography
Hamel was a former aide to the late U.S. Senator from Alaska Mike Gravel. He became prominent when he exposed serious illegal environmental practices engaged in by the oil industry in Alaska. He was retaliated against when the industry hired private investigator employees of security firm Wackenhut to spy on and discredit him. Their illicit activities, including wiretapping and a sting operation run by Wayne Black and involving the creation of a bogus environmental advocacy group intended to ferret out the identities of covert corporate whistleblowers, became the subject of congressional hearings. Hamel's efforts were lauded by Alaskans including marine biologist Rick Steiner and environmental consultant Dan Lawn.[1] Hamel was born on July 12, 1930, and grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut.[2][3] He studied foreign trade at Georgetown University.[3] In the 1970s, he became an oil and shipping broker and worked as a leading oil-industry critic.[4][5]
References
- ^ Oil industry whistleblower Hamel, subject of industry spy campaign, dead at 84
- ^ Oversight hearings on Alyeska covert operations, House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, November 4, 1991. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- ^ a b "Charles Hamel, influential oil industry whistleblower, dies at 84". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "Charles Hamel". Philly.com. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ Weil, Martin (2015-04-29). "Charles Hamel, influential oil industry whistleblower, dies at 84". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-11-05.