U.S. Congressman Joe Barton (R-Texas) was the lead
Republican at the congressional hearings about the bp oil spill.
As his opening remarks with bp's Tony Hayward, he actually apologized to him for President Obama's "harsh treatment." Barton actually said Obama's insisting on bp setting up a $20 Billion victim
compensation fund was a "shakedown."
The appropriate
shock and awe followed. Even John Boehner was
embarrassed and Barton eventually apologized for his own assisnine insensitive stupidity.
Some of Rep. Barton's
Republican colleages were surprised to hear he was a bp sympathizer, but many of his
corporate owned colleages agreed with him. However if you look at his $1.4 million in campaign contributions from big oil you can begin to
understand.