SHAKEDOWN: Since 1990, Joe Barton has received $27K from BP officials, PACs

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Rep. Joe Barton and oil industry have long history

The Texas Republican, who called the BP oil spill fund created at the White House's insistence a 'shakedown,' is among Washington's top recipients of industry donations.

June 18, 2010|By Tom Hamburger and Kim Geiger, Tribune Washington Bureau

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/18/nation/la-na-oil-barton-20100619

Reporting from Washington — Rep. Joe L. Barton of Texas, the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee who apologized to BP for what he termed a White House "shakedown," has a long history of helping the oil and gas industry on Capitol Hill.

Though energy interests have long played a big role in the lives of Texas congressional members and their constituents, Barton has strong financial ties that run through his personal and public life.
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The industry has been Barton's biggest patron since 1999, donating more than $1.4 million to his campaigns. The figure puts him above all House members for industry donations, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Many of Barton's colleagues were stunned this week when he apologized to BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward for the establishment of the $20-billion escrow fund to benefit oil spill victims, which the White House negotiated with the company. At the nationally televised hearing, Barton said it was "a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown."

Within hours he apologized for his apology. But Democrats have already begun using it to raise funds and support, sending out Internet video advertisements and donation appeals.

Since 1990, Barton has received about $27,300 from BP officials and political action committees. The amount places him among the top recipients in Washington but well below President Obama, who has been the leading recipient of BP cash, with about $77,000, according to the center.

[rustydog]

1. Again: Webster's Dictionary editors...Please revise

Whore: See Joe Barton

[Kip Humphrey]

2. "SHAKEDOWN" is projection on Barton's part - see also contributions to Barton by Anadarko, his #1

contributor who also, by chance, owns 25% interest in the BP DWH catastrophe. Barton's got to be worried that his cash cows will dry up.

[Atman]

3. All due respect, but $27k over 20 years is peanuts.

$27k wouldn't pay for one campaign ad or one staff salary...and this is spread over 20 years. Joe may blow, but this is hardly an earth-shattering revelation. The simple answer is, Barton is just an oil whore. His slimy position would be the same if he took $27 mil or 27 bucks. He just thinks oil drilling is a good thing.

[wordpix]

4. yes but I wonder who else he's taken from - probably lots more in the oil patch

:shrug:

[Crystal Clarity]

5. Well, to this I say...Clean Elections!!!!!!!!!!!!

again...

:eyes: <<<< because I never dreamed that this would become such a Mantra for me

Come on guys.... Can't we at least discuss the possibility? No one seemed interested when I posted about this subject a couple of weeks ago. Seriously, publicly financed campaigns would solve a huge part of the problem. I live in one of the 8 States that has them. If we could get this to happen on the Federal level, we'd see huge changes in how our Government functions... And I mean HUGE. If this were (hypothetically speaking) in place now, politicians like Barton would be toast.