Joe Barton R-TX - Apologizes to BP CEO Hayward

[Anti Federalist]

UPDATE - ETA - The GOP forced him to "take it back" later today. See post #10



Big Oil's Favorite Congressman Apologizes to Tony Hayward for $20 Billion 'Shakedown'

Texas Rep. Joe Barton, who's more or less an employee of the oil industry, delivered an incredible statement to comical BP CEO Tony Hayward this morning, apologizing for the White House's $20 billion dollar "shakedown" fund.

This may go down as one of this year's most out-of-touch statements from a member of Congress, which is permanently out-of-touch anyway. "A tragedy in the first proportion," holy crap:

YouTube - Rep. Joe Barton Apologizes To BP For $20 Billion Claims Fund (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv0siXm2cpc&feature=player_embedded)

"I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) during a hearing on Thursday morning with BP's CEO Tony Hayward." I think it is a tragedy in the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown — in this case a $20 billion shakedown — with the attorney general of the United States, who is legitimately conducting a criminal investigation and has every right to do so to protect the American people, participating in what amounts to a $20 billion slush fund that's unprecedented in our nation's history, which has no legal standing, which I think sets a terrible precedent for our nation's future."

Joe Barton will chair the powerful Energy & Commerce Committee should Republicans take the House this fall.

Update: Joe Barton has made the White House's day, with his hilarious apology to BP. It didn't take long for them to issue this response:

Statement by the Press Secretary on Congressman Joe Barton's Apology to BP

"What is shameful is that Joe Barton seems to have more concern for big corporations that caused this disaster than the fishermen, small business owners and communities whose lives have been devastated by the destruction. Congressman Barton may think that a fund to compensate these Americans is a ‘tragedy', but most Americans know that the real tragedy is what the men and women of the Gulf Coast are going through right now. Members from both parties should repudiate his comments."

http://gawker.com/5566062/big-oils-favorite-congressman-apologizes-to-tony-hayward-for-20-billion-shakedown

[Anti Federalist]

There's enough bullshit piling up on both sides that you need wings to stay above it.

But I'll say this, I find the government's and the environmental lobby's new found concern for fishermen shallow at best.

Prior to April 20, they both were very busy doing their level best to put fishermen out of business.

[Shotdown1027]

Barton may not be in tune with the American people--but he is in tune with his constituents. He lives in Texas, in an area where basically all the jobs come from the oil industry.

[Cowlesy]

there's enough bullshit piling up on both sides that you need wings to stay above it.


+1000

[Anti Federalist]

Barton may not be in tune with the American people--but he is in tune with his constituents. He lives in Texas, in an area where basically all the jobs come from the oil industry.

The commentary is offered without comment.

I happen to agree with Barton on this.

[Live_Free_Or_Die]

I don't want to live in a country where any time a citizen or corporation does something legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that in my words amounts to a shakedown

He is right. It has no legal standing and sets a bad precedent.

If people thought BP was doing a bad job of handing out money in a claim process asking for documented claims which preserved rights to sue wait till government gets to arbitrate handing out money. Well that is after government takes their administrative cut off the top. And once government arbitrates a claim that's it, there is no sue option, just years and years of administrative appeals.

[roho76]

You guys are right it does set a bad precedent and this is a typical mafia/union style shakedown. Exactly what I would expect from them. But this is tacky and tasteless at best considering the current circumstances. He may be speaking for his constituency but he's also committing political suicide for not only himself but all republicans.

I can see the headlines tonight on Keith Olberman: "Republicans wanted oil spill to happen" says Barton-R

[echebota]

+1 for agreeing with Joe on this. I think this clicks with his constituans in Texas and with many poeple outside of this fine state. 20bils "shakedown" fund is just another example of "we are fixing what we broke with more of what we used to brake it in a first place" from the white house.

[JK/SEA]

Saw a news item that he took back the apology.

[Anti Federalist]

Spin, waffle, flip flop and bullshit, like I said, until you need wings to stay above it.




Saw a news item that he took back the apology.


GOP leaders forced Rep. Barton to retract apology to BP

By Aaron Blake and Paul Kane
Thursday, June 17, 2010; 5:11 PM

Under pressure from Republican leaders who threatened to remove him from a ranking committee position, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) late Thursday retracted his apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward for the way his company has been treated by the U.S. government -- a comment that had drawn heavy criticism from both parties.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/17/AR2010061703756.html?hpid=topnews

[Cowlesy]

Spin, waffle, flip flop and bullshit, like I said, until you need wings to stay above it.






GOP leaders forced Rep. Barton to retract apology to BP

By Aaron Blake and Paul Kane
Thursday, June 17, 2010; 5:11 PM

Under pressure from Republican leaders who threatened to remove him from a ranking committee position, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) late Thursday retracted his apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward for the way his company has been treated by the U.S. government -- a comment that had drawn heavy criticism from both parties.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/17/AR2010061703756.html?hpid=topnews

I hate this bullshit.

I hate to use it, but, "SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY."

[phill4paul]

I hate this bullshit.

I hate to use it, but, "SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY."

Yep.

[ravedown]

someone (real journalist) needs to track this money...every cent. could be good election fodder depending on where it goes.

[Anti Federalist]

I hate this bullshit.

I hate to use it, but, "SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY."

Exactly.

:mad:

[Old Ducker]

There's enough bullshit piling up on both sides that you need wings to stay above it.


That's one of my all time favorite quotes.

[Anti Federalist]

That's one of my all time favorite quotes.

Awesome quote and fits at some many junctures.

[Cowlesy]

It's ridiculous.

I don't have any love for BP, Tony Hayward, or Carl-Henric Svenberg, but demonizing them and destroying the company with the Federal Government is ridiculous. Hayward was insensitive and made a stupid remark when he said, "I want my life back," but that doesn't make him a demon. Svenberg speaks English as a second language, so he was clumsy when he used the term "small people." BP employs tens of thousands of Americans, and John Q. Public who owns the local gas station didn't spill the fucking oil, so I find real fucking ironic when people demonize those who toss bricks through a vote-casting congressperson's windows, but applaud when someone does it to a hapless-in-the-case-of-the-oil-spill gas station owner.

BP plc should pay every cent of the cleanup, and remuneration to those they've harmed. But now, Ken Feinberg, the "pay czar," is the one who determines who gets paid and who doesn't.

Gee, what are the chances that Obama's political friends step to the front of the line when the payouts happen.

What a joke.

[susano]

How does BP establishing an escrow fund, for what are certain damages that well exceed that amount, something you guys have a problem with?

[Anti Federalist]

BP employs tens of thousands of Americans, and John Q. Public who owns the local gas station didn't spill the fucking oil, so I find real fucking ironic when people demonize those who toss bricks through a vote-casting congressperson's windows, but applaud when someone does it to a hapless-in-the-case-of-the-oil-spill gas station owner.

That + ∞

Jesus, you make even the slightest reference to anything even remotely resembling physical violence directed at our oppressors and you'll get shouted down.

But burn out the local gas station owner? That's fine and dandy.

[Cowlesy]

How does BP establishing an escrow fund, for what are certain damages that well exceed that amount, something you guys have a problem with?

At 12/31/09, BP plc had consolidated Net Assets of approximately $81.5 billion dollars. That is their total assets, minus their liabilities and stockholder's equity.

If the total damages of the spill eat up $81.5 billion of assets before BP can earn the free cashflow to fund the damages, then so be it.

I have a problem with the Government moving goal-posts and revising laws because their laws were f'd up in the first place.

Why was there only a $75 million cap on liabilities? Because Government tried to make it "fair" so the little guys could also drill. They couldn't afford the liability otherwise.

But because BP knows it'd never be a viable entity if it said, "well we are just paying $75 million and F U to everyone else, take us to court," it has already pledged, without the government mandating it, that it will pay all the costs associated with the spill/clean-up.

And we have courts to make sure they do it. But having them provide $20Bln to an Obama Administration controlled escrow account via Ken Feinberg? It's a fucking joke. Gangster government if you ask me.

[Anti Federalist]

At 12/31/09, BP plc had consolidated Net Assets of approximately $81.5 billion dollars. That is their total assets, minus their liabilities and stockholder's equity.

If the total damages of the spill eat up $81.5 billion of assets before BP can earn the free cashflow to fund the damages, then so be it.

I have a problem with the Government moving goal-posts and revising laws because their laws were f'd up in the first place.

Why was there only a $75 million cap on liabilities? Because Government tried to make it "fair" so the little guys could also drill. They couldn't afford the liability otherwise.

But because BP knows it'd never be a viable entity if it said, "well we are just paying $75 million and F U to everyone else, take us to court," it has already pledged, without the government mandating it, that it will pay all the costs associated with the spill/clean-up.

And we have courts to make sure they do it. But having them provide $20Bln to an Obama Administration controlled escrow account via Ken Feinberg? It's a fucking joke. Gangster government if you ask me.

Beat me to it.

That^^

[Cowlesy]

Just found this.

At least Governor Jindal is trying to get something done.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-gov-bobby-jindals-wishes-crude/story?id=10946379


Eight days ago, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal ordered barges to begin vacuuming crude oil out of his state's oil-soaked waters. Today, against the governor's wishes, those barges sat idle, even as more oil flowed toward the Louisiana shore.

"These barges work. You've seen them work. You've seen them suck oil out of the water," said Jindal.

So why stop now?

"The Coast Guard came and shut them down," Jindal said. "You got men on the barges in the oil, and they have been told by the Coast Guard, 'Cease and desist. Stop sucking up that oil.'"

But the Coast Guard ordered the stoppage because of reasons that Jindal found frustrating. The Coast Guard needed to confirm that there were fire extinguishers and life vests on board, and then it had trouble contacting the people who built the barges.

The governor said he didn't have the authority to overrule the Coast Guard's decision, though he said he tried to reach the White House to raise his concerns.

"They promised us they were going to get it done as quickly as possible," he said. But "every time you talk to someone different at the Coast Guard, you get a different answer."

After Jindal strenuously made his case, the barges finally got the go-ahead today to return to the Gulf and get back to work, after more than 24 hours of sitting idle.

Thanks FedGov. You're awesome. Definitely trust you with that $20 bln escrow.

[Anti Federalist]

Just found this.

At least Governor Jindal is trying to get something done.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-gov-bobby-jindals-wishes-crude/story?id=10946379



Thanks FedGov. You're awesome. Definitely trust you with that $20 bln escrow.

Welcome to my world.

:mad:

[nobody's_hero]

someone (real journalist) needs to track this money...every cent. could be good election fodder depending on where it goes.

Oh, I'm sure it's already gone. They knew who they were going to give it to before they took it, I bet.

[Anti Federalist]

///