It didn’t take long. The American people, and even some Republicans are appalled and ashamed at the spectacle of a United States Congressman bowing before BP CEO Tony Hayward and apologizing to Big Oil for what he termed a “shakedown” from the White House and a “slush fund” for the victims of this outlaw corporation. Even Tony Hayward conceded it was not a “slush fund.” Barton, Limbaugh, and the oil patch Republicans hate that President Obama did an end-run around their block of raising the $75 million liability law to $10 billion, and got twice the amount out of BP to boot (on the neck of BP).
Barton’s panicked Caucus forced him to retract his statement (sort of), but not before fellow Republican Joe Miller of Florida calls for him to step down as Ranking Member on the Energy Committee. Barton sounds petulant and envious, as if he’s being cut out of the action. This is a badly-needed escrow fund independently administered by the same person who disbursed the 9/11 victims fund -- Ken Feinberg, of unimpeachable integrity. Here’s Barton whoring for Big Oil money:
“I'm only speaking for myself. I'm not speaking for anyone else, but I apologize. [GET OUT YOUR BARF BAGS] I do not want to live in a county where anytime a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong, [it is] subject to some sort of political pressure that, again, in my words, amounts to a shakedown.” [KACHING-KACHING = $1.4 million from the oil and gas industry, including $27,350 from BP.]
Senator Byron Dorgan, Democrat of South Dakota said: “He ought to apologize to the American people. That wasn’t a shakedown, it’s exactly what our government should be saying to BP.”
of you have sat, and perhaps thought, with us!
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