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AP Exclusive: Brown had state workers research oil on ranch

FILE - In this Wednesday May 27, 2015 file photo, California Gov. Jerry Brown addresses a conference in Sacramento, Calif. Brown directed state oil and gas regulators to investigate the oil and gas potential of his family’s ranch land in Northern California, state records obtained by the Associated Press show. Brown saved himself the $200 to $400 hourly cost of hiring a geologist to determine if there was money to be made from his family’s mineral deposits, and may have violated state law on diverting public employees and other resources for personal purposes. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) FILE - In this Wednesday May 27, 2015 file photo, California Gov. Jerry Brown addresses a conference in Sacramento, Calif. Brown directed state oil and gas regulators to investigate the oil and gas potential of his family’s ranch land in Northern California, state records obtained by the Associated Press show. Brown saved himself the $200 to $400 hourly cost of hiring a geologist to determine if there was money to be made from his family’s mineral deposits, and may have violated state law on diverting public employees and other resources for personal purposes. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

By Associated Press November 5, 2015 1 min read

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – NEWSNOW

Gov. Jerry Brown had state oil and gas regulators investigate the oil and gas drilling potential of his family land in Northern California.

State records obtained by The Associated Press through open-records laws show that Brown and his aides last year directed state employees in preparing a 51-page geological and drilling report and satellite and geological map at the Brown family ranch near the town of Williams.

California law bars elected officials from using public resources for personal purposes. California’s Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources Division says the work it did on Brown’s ranch drew on public records and insists it was legal. But state oil industry professionals say they cannot recall seeing state oil and gas regulators assess and map anyone’s personal property like that before.