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GOP lawmaker apologizes for apologizing to BP exec
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer Laurie Kellman, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 25 mins ago
WASHINGTON – Who's sorry now? Rep. Joe Barton, that's who.
The Texas Republican, the House's top recipient of oil industry campaign contributions since 1990, apologized Thursday for apologizing to the chief of the British company that befouled the Gulf of Mexico with a massive oil spill.
His double mea culpa plus a retraction, executed under pressure from fuming GOP leaders, succeeded in shifting attention from the tragedy, BP's many missteps and the stoic British oil chief at the witness table, to his own party's close connection to the oil industry.
Barton started the ruckus at midmorning when he took aim at the $20 billion relief fund for victims of the spill sought by the White House and agreed to by BP.
"I apologize," Barton said to BP CEO Tony Hayward, who was sitting at a witness table for another of Congress' ritual floggings of wayward corporate heads.
"I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that is — again, in my words, amounts to a shakedown," Barton said. "So I apologize."
Incensed at the gift Barton had given Democrats, Republicans came close to stripping Barton of his post as chairman-in-waiting of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. GOP leaders summoned Barton to the Capitol and demanded he apologize in specific terms. The leaders threatened to launch a process to strip Barton of his seniority on the powerful panel, a particularly painful threat to any long-term lawmaker, according to two knowledgeable Republican officials who demanded anonymity so they could speak freely about private meetings.
But it was the notion of an American lawmaker apologizing to a foreign head of a corporation that had caused great hardships for millions of Gulf Coast residents that incited rare Republican-on-Republican rage. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., became the first in his party to demand that Barton be stripped of his seniority. During a House vote later in the day, other Republicans pressed their leaders for Barton's punishment — and at least two in the leadership were still considering that option, the officials said.
As Barton returned to the committee, the leaders issued their own statement:
"Congressman Barton's statements this morning were wrong."
Vice President Joe Biden weighed in — lightheartedly at first, red-faced by the end.
"I find it incredibly insensitive, incredibly out of touch," Biden told reporters. "There's no shakedown. It's insisting on responsible conduct and a responsible response to something they caused."
Democrats, eager to tie Republicans to the oil industry during this midterm election year, piled on.
"While people in the Gulf are suffering from the actions of BP, the Republicans in the Congress are apologizing to BP," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
By midafternoon, Barton was back on the dais with a statement that was something short of what the leaders had demanded.
"I want the record to be absolutely clear that I think BP is responsible for this accident," he said. "If anything I said this morning has been misconstrued, in opposite effect, I want to apologize for that misconstruction."
Barton then issued, and House Republican leader John Boehner's office forwarded out a somewhat different written statement.
"I apologize for using the term 'shakedown' with regard to yesterday's actions at the White House this morning, and I retract my apology to BP," it began, and finished: "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."
Barton has received $100,470 in campaign donations from oil and gas interests since the beginning of 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The same group reported that since 1990, political action committees of the oil and gas industry and people who worked for it have given more than $1.4 million to Barton's campaigns, the most of any House member during that period.
WASHINGTON – Who's sorry now? Rep. Joe Barton, that's who.
The Texas Republican, the House's top recipient of oil industry campaign contributions since 1990, apologized Thursday for apologizing to the chief of the British company that befouled the Gulf of Mexico with a massive oil spill.
His double mea culpa plus a retraction, executed under pressure from fuming GOP leaders, succeeded in shifting attention from the tragedy, BP's many missteps and the stoic British oil chief at the witness table, to his own party's close connection to the oil industry.
Barton started the ruckus at midmorning when he took aim at the $20 billion relief fund for victims of the spill sought by the White House and agreed to by BP.
"I apologize," Barton said to BP CEO Tony Hayward, who was sitting at a witness table for another of Congress' ritual floggings of wayward corporate heads.
"I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that is — again, in my words, amounts to a shakedown," Barton said. "So I apologize."
Incensed at the gift Barton had given Democrats, Republicans came close to stripping Barton of his post as chairman-in-waiting of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. GOP leaders summoned Barton to the Capitol and demanded he apologize in specific terms. The leaders threatened to launch a process to strip Barton of his seniority on the powerful panel, a particularly painful threat to any long-term lawmaker, according to two knowledgeable Republican officials who demanded anonymity so they could speak freely about private meetings.
But it was the notion of an American lawmaker apologizing to a foreign head of a corporation that had caused great hardships for millions of Gulf Coast residents that incited rare Republican-on-Republican rage. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., became the first in his party to demand that Barton be stripped of his seniority. During a House vote later in the day, other Republicans pressed their leaders for Barton's punishment — and at least two in the leadership were still considering that option, the officials said.
As Barton returned to the committee, the leaders issued their own statement:
"Congressman Barton's statements this morning were wrong."
Vice President Joe Biden weighed in — lightheartedly at first, red-faced by the end.
"I find it incredibly insensitive, incredibly out of touch," Biden told reporters. "There's no shakedown. It's insisting on responsible conduct and a responsible response to something they caused."
Democrats, eager to tie Republicans to the oil industry during this midterm election year, piled on.
"While people in the Gulf are suffering from the actions of BP, the Republicans in the Congress are apologizing to BP," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
By midafternoon, Barton was back on the dais with a statement that was something short of what the leaders had demanded.
"I want the record to be absolutely clear that I think BP is responsible for this accident," he said. "If anything I said this morning has been misconstrued, in opposite effect, I want to apologize for that misconstruction."
Barton then issued, and House Republican leader John Boehner's office forwarded out a somewhat different written statement.
"I apologize for using the term 'shakedown' with regard to yesterday's actions at the White House this morning, and I retract my apology to BP," it began, and finished: "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."
Barton has received $100,470 in campaign donations from oil and gas interests since the beginning of 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The same group reported that since 1990, political action committees of the oil and gas industry and people who worked for it have given more than $1.4 million to Barton's campaigns, the most of any House member during that period.
The argument seemed to be that it was because BP is not an American company. To my way of thinking that makes it even more important that the funds be put in trust.
Again, I think its fine that some dislike Obama, and I have no doubt there are legitimate reasons for it. However, if some of these folks screaming the loudest truly want to be taken seriously, they need to stick to their argument, not change it whenever Obama does anything...know what I mean? It just comes across as anti Obama, not pro Republican policy. I had a rough night, so hopefully I make sense..lol. Teething is the pits..lol.
Again, I think its fine that some dislike Obama, and I have no doubt there are legitimate reasons for it. However, if some of these folks screaming the loudest truly want to be taken seriously, they need to stick to their argument, not change it whenever Obama does anything...know what I mean? It just comes across as anti Obama, not pro Republican policy. I had a rough night, so hopefully I make sense..lol. Teething is the pits..lol.
I did hear that argument. But here's why I reject it. It is the Federal Government's job to protect the populace. BP hadn't offered voluntarily to do it. So what's to be done. Let them off the hook? What if they declare bankruptcy? Just as United Carbide did in Bhopal. This is the only way to get the guarantee of at least something being in the kitty.
I generally don't like what Obama does either. We cannot afford his spending habits. But this one, I agree on. He did what he had to do for the people already suffering from this disaster.
I generally don't like what Obama does either. We cannot afford his spending habits. But this one, I agree on. He did what he had to do for the people already suffering from this disaster.
I just watched a news program where they interviewed a few different people on this whole issue of Rep. Joe Bartons' appology and Obama's "convincing" of BP to put money aside for victims of this oil spill. I will admit I am a bit frustrated. One of the women interviewed was an organizer in the Tea Party. They were yelling a few weeks ago that Obama was not being hard enough on BP. Now this women (sorry, can't remember her name) is saying that Obama strong armed them and it's unconstitutional. She also said that the Obama administration is at least 50% to blame for this disaster. This is the type of thing I find confusing. Like him or hate him, everything that goes wrong in the world today is not his fault! So the same people yelling he was not tough enough on them are now saying he was too tough on them. Honestly, can he do anything right? I know lot's don't agree with his policies, but some act like he is to blame for all that is wrong in this world. I am so frustrated with that whole interview.
That 's why I support the Tea Party Movement. It's the only grassroots program with a voice. Many dislike Sarah Palin. I like her. I don't she's electable for President but would make a good Senator for Alaska. People said she wasn't prepared for the office. Well, look what we got. A man whose only experience is community organizing and a couple of years in the Senate. And now that real leadership is needed, there is sad lack of leadership coming out of Washington. Governor Jindal of Louisiana and the other coastal states governors have been more on top of this than anyone on the federal level. No one is in charge down at the Gulf. Decisions can't be made. We have a power vacuum here. I've heard the word Malaise used to describe the mood of the country. Last time I heard that, Jimmy Carter was in office. And that was a total disaster.
Oh well, me and my "malaise" will look for a movie or something interesting on the net.
Oh well, me and my "malaise" will look for a movie or something interesting on the net.
LOL...are you sure we are not "smurfs"??? They might protest ...after all they are little too.
Now, who is going to be our lobbyist???? We say we don't want to pay for ....and .....but they turn it around and say we didn't reallllly mean it, so they take our $ and use it for what they want. They get the trips and the freebies, sitting in the front rows at games and .... and .....what do we get????
we get the bill and life time plus of debt....sigh. Yes, we need help, Sara :-OOOO
Now, who is going to be our lobbyist???? We say we don't want to pay for ....and .....but they turn it around and say we didn't reallllly mean it, so they take our $ and use it for what they want. They get the trips and the freebies, sitting in the front rows at games and .... and .....what do we get????
we get the bill and life time plus of debt....sigh. Yes, we need help, Sara :-OOOO
I think taxpayers need a lobbyist! We're the one footing the bills and we're the only ones without a voice!!! We are "little people"" ie SERFS!!!
That is what I am concerned about. Remember the anger over the subprime fall-out? We didn't want to bail out the ones who caused the disaster that cost so many their jobs....but who listened to us?
It seems like there are token hand slaps with some monetary charges in the past over chemical spills, polluting violations, etc.. This is no little episode that can be swept under the rug so easily. This is not over yet. I hope along with you that this isn't posturing and that BP and others will take reponsibility for what has happened.
It seems like there are token hand slaps with some monetary charges in the past over chemical spills, polluting violations, etc.. This is no little episode that can be swept under the rug so easily. This is not over yet. I hope along with you that this isn't posturing and that BP and others will take reponsibility for what has happened.
As is evident, I don't agree with Obama very often. This time I do. If BP wasn't going to do it voluntarily, he needed to use his bully pulpit. This had to be done and I'm glad he did it. I just hope BP doesn't weasel out of this somehow.
I am wondering how that law maker would feel filling the shoes of those hit the hardest by this disaster?????
I think you are on to something, Sara :-O. With the time constraints lifted, there is lots of time to go belly up or find loopholes. Am I wrong in thinking our dear Government gives a lot of lee-way to these kinds of disaster making individuals?
I am not sure the Alaskan oil disaster has paid its due either.
In Gulf disaster, echoes and lessons of Alaska's Exxon Valdez spill
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/13/2013242/in-gulf-disaster-echoes-and-lessons.html#ixzz0r9umWflk
I am not sure the Alaskan oil disaster has paid its due either.
In Gulf disaster, echoes and lessons of Alaska's Exxon Valdez spill
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/13/2013242/in-gulf-disaster-echoes-and-lessons.html#ixzz0r9umWflk
Does this whole Gulf disaster remind you of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, India?
If you will recall, Union Carbide declared bankruptcy. Dow Chemical bought it, with the exception of the India unit. The people of Bhopal never received their full payments. It could happen again. Now.
If you will recall, Union Carbide declared bankruptcy. Dow Chemical bought it, with the exception of the India unit. The people of Bhopal never received their full payments. It could happen again. Now.
Oh Crud! And this idiot is from Texas. How embarrassing! I don't think he's really sorry. I think he's sorry about what the Republican party is about to do to him. This man needs to put his brain in gear before engaging the mouth device!
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