We’re not quite half way through the first month of 2012 and the Obama Administration is already up to their old tricks, playing fast and loose with the facts surrounding their job destroying energy policies. Today, the Department of the Interior sent around a misleading press release to fool the public into believing the Administration is increasing American oil and gas production because lease sales increased in 2011—however, nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s the rest of the story:

The Administration is required to hold a certain number of lease sales each year. Further, the number of lease sales held is far less important to energy production than the number of actual leases issued.

According to their own numbers, the Obama Administration has been responsible for three of the four lowest years in number of federal oil and gas leases issued since 1984. In fact, 2010 had the lowest number of leases issued since 1984. The Administration can try to manipulate the numbers all they want, but they can’t hide their long record of blocking U.S. energy production. Federal oil and gas production is down by 40% compared to ten years ago, which translates into fewer American jobs, a weaker economy and greater reliance on unfriendly foreign sources of energy.