Humm, isn't funny how the state effect worse by the oil spill say, DONT STOP DRILLING

Fellow Republicans Rebuke Barton for Calling $20B Relief Fund a White House 'Shakedown'

Published June 17, 2010
FOXNews.com

Republicans have strongly rebuked one of their own, Texas Rep. Joe Barton, for accusing the White House of engaging in what he called a "$20 billion shakedown" of BP, with one lawmaker calling on Barton to resign his leadership position on a powerful committee.

Barton had complained at a hearing earlier Thursday that the Obama administration was forcing BP to set up a $20 billion "slush fund" for oil spill victims. Barton said he was ashamed of the White House's actions -- and he apologized to BP.

The comments got no backing from his fellow Republicans.

"Congressman Barton's statements this morning were wrong," House GOP leaders John Boehner, Eric Cantor and Mike Pence said in a written statement. "BP itself has acknowledged that responsibility for the economic damages lies with them and has offered an initial pledge of $20 billion dollars for that purpose."

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., said he was "shocked" by Barton's "reprehensible comments that the government should apologize for the 'shakedown' of BP."

"I condemn Mr. Barton's statement," Miller said in a written statement. "Mr. Barton's remarks are out of touch with this tragedy and I feel his comments call into question his judgment and ability to serve in a leadership position on the Energy and Commerce Committee. He should step down as ranking member of the committee."

The unusual intraparty rebuke came after Barton issued an apology of sorts about his apology to BP -- then retracted that apology.

"I apologize for using the term 'shakedown'...and I retract my apology to BP," he said, adding that his remarks had been "misconstrued."

"I regret the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident," he said.

On Wednesday, President Obama announced that BP had agreed to set up a $20 billion relief fund that will be led by the administration's "pay czar," Kenneth Feinberg, who oversaw the $7 billion government fund for families of victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The use of the BP escrow fund is intended to avoid a repeat of the painful aftermath of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil disaster in Alaska, when the fight over money dragged out in courts for roughly two decades

****************************************

It's great to see that FOX News is able to report this story properly. Rep. Barton made a mistake and his fellow Republicans took him to task for it.

JOHN has pointed out FOX News stories many times and I have to admit that they do report the news pretty well most of the time.

The talking heads that give opinions on FOX like Glen Beck and partial term Former Governor Sarah Palin don't have the same intergrity as FOX News itself. But, we shouldn't expect them to. After all they are just paid entertainers.

This is a quote from Rep. Barton that he made while apologizing for the comments that he had made earlier in the day when addressing the head of BP.

“I want the record to be absolutely clear that I believe BP is responsible for this accident, should be held responsible and should in every way possible make good on the consequences that have resulted from this accident. If anything I’ve said this morning was misconstrued from that I want to apologize for that misconstruction.”

I think it's pretty clear that he knows who is to blame for the spill and who is solely responsible for paying for the clean up. There are a few clowns around that don't think BP should be held responsible, but Mr. Barton is no longer one of them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Havakasha

Hey did you hear John is a big fan of Congressman Barton? Yeah the guy who apologized to BP and wants to keep the cap at $75 million?
Check this out. Look who gets a lot of money from the oil and gas industry. Yep its Congressman Barton of course. Hmmm i wonder if there is a connection? lol.




Here is the list of contributions to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee since 2009

Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., none
John Barrow, D-Ga., $31,500
Joe Barton, R-Texas, $100,470
Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., $33,500
Roy Blunt, R-Mo., $133,100
Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., $5,750
Rick Boucher, D-Va., $36,000
Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, none
Michael Burgess, R-Texas, $39,350
G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., $19,500
Steve Buyer, R-Ind., $5,000
Lois Capps, D-Calif., none
Kathy Castor, D-Fla., none
Donna Christian-Christensen, D-Virgin Islands, $1,500
Nathan Deal, R-Ga., none
Diana DeGette, D-Colo., $2,250
John D Dingell, D-Mich., $7,000
Mike Doyle, D-Pa., $8,000
Eliot L Engel, D-N.Y., none
Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., none
Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., $20,500
Charlie A Gonzalez, D-Texas, $30,000
Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., $13,500
Gene Green, D-Texas, $43,500
Ralph M Hall, R-Texas, $31,250
Jane Harman, D-Calif., $3,000
Baron Hill, D-Ind., $2,000
Jay Inslee, D-Wash., none
Edward J Markey, D-Mass., $16,000
Jim Matheson, D-Utah, $47,750
Doris O Matsui, D-Calif., $7,500
Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., $3,000
Charles Melancon, D-La., $65,500
Chris Murphy, D-Conn., $6,800
Tim Murphy, R-Pa., $62,950
Sue Myrick, R-N.C., $11,500
Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., none
Joe Pitts, R-Pa., $18,000
George Radanovich, R-Calif., $14,000
Mike Rogers, R-Mich., $20,400
Mike Ross, D-Ark., $76,950
Bobby L Rush, D-Ill., $1,000
John Sarbanes, D-Md., $3,300
Steve Scalise, R-La., $44,335
Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., none
John Shadegg, R-Ariz., $13,400
John M Shimkus, R-Ill., $34,000
Zachary T Space, D-Ohio, $9,600
Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., $1,000
Bart Stupak, D-Mich., $12,000
John Sullivan, R-Okla., $65,250
Betty Sue Sutton, D-Ohio, $6,000
Lee Terry, R-Neb., $30,350
Fred Upton, R-Mich., $22,000
Greg Walden, R-Ore., $31,200
Henry A Waxman, D-Calif., $6,000
Anthony D Weiner, D-N.Y., none
Peter Welch, D-Vt., $10,000
Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., $20,500

---

That is simply amazing Havakasha.

I just ran the math and I did it quickly, so I might have made a mistake. But, if I'm right, this is how the politiacal contributions break down.

Democrats have taken $469,150 from the oil companies

Republicans who make up fewer members on the committee have taken $757,805 from the oil companies.

That is nearly 1.25 million bucks in donations to these committee members who are supposed to oversee this business. Holy Crap! Talk about buying influence!

They system is wrong. It is very hard to regulate somebody properly who is paying for your re-election.