Last night, the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the largest caucus of Republican House members, fired off a statement declaring that the $20 billion dollar negotiated by BP and the Obama administration for victims of the oil catastrophe in the gulf is a “Chicago-Style Political Shakedown.” Echoing this sentiment, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) told BP executives that he is “sorry” for Obama’s “shakedown” of their company.
This morning, ThinkProgress traveled to Capitol Hill to interview lawmakers about the escrow fund. Several members of Congress, like Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), agreed with the RSC’s criticism of the fund. Even though Fleming’s home state of Louisiana has been devastated by BP’s spill, Fleming attacked the administration for not trusting BP and for daring to “take control of all the money from BP.” Asked about Barton’s apology to BP, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) said any lawmaker has a right to “do what they want”
Let's be clear, rightwingers are screaming President Obama hasn't been a true leader during this Gulf disaster. They are screaming how incompetant our president has been these past 50 plus days, they say he is partying, he is playing golf, he is entertaining thugs at the White House while the Gulf is in peril!!
Wingnuts are saying this agreement with BP will lead to the Obama administrations TAKEOVER of BIG OIL!! "BP agreed to paying all costs for this disaster, so why did Obambi(thats what they call our president)have to resort to a "shakedown" with BP?" OKAY, so wingnuts trust BP, they think an agreement, a handshake, will be good enough. An AGREEMENT with BP is NOT a BINDING CONTRACT. What President Obama did yesterday was worthy of praise and wingnuts will go down in flames for this criticism. They are standing with big oil and slapping the faces of the people in the Gulf whose lives are changed, probably forever!
TP: He announced the $20 billion dollar escrow fund, funded by BP, to compensate some of the victims of this catastrophe. The Republican Study Committee put out a press release last night saying it’s a Chicago style power grab, do you agree with that sentiment?
FLEMING: I do because what we have seen from this administration is whenever something like this happens — look at automotive industry, financial industry — what they do is take control of dollars then they begin to disperse them along political agendas. And we’ve seen this happen before, and it looks like its the development here. BP has said, time and time again, that they will process all legitimate claims, we have no reason to believe they won’t. Why does the administration feel like it’s got to take control of all the money from BP?
TP: So Congressman, the Republican Study Committee last night said that the $20 billion dollar escrow fund is just another Chicago style politics kind of power grab. Do you agree with that, do you think that’s a fair characterization?
JORDAN: I’m, look, I’m always worried about this unprecedented involvement by the government in the private sector and look, BP obviously made some mistakes, but do we really believe the Federal government is going to do a better job?
TP: What do you think about Joe Barton in the hearing this morning, he said ‘I apologize’ to the BP executives for the escrow fund, saying again it’s a shakedown [...] Do you have any kind of reaction to a member of Congress apologizing to BP executives?
NUNES: Look, every member of Congress represents seven, eight hundred thousand people and they can do what they want.
Wingers wanted President Obama to be involved, to be a leader and take control, but when he does and does a good job they backtrack and start the criticizing. No oil company with the terrible record that BP has deserves to be trusted by our government and our people. What Obama did was the right thing and the wacko right can keep screaming, all of America can hear them! YAY!!
