Rep. Rehberg of Montana is Part of Republican Study Committee that Defends BP, Calls the $20 Billion BP Escrow Account a “Chicago-Style Political Shakedown”
June 18, 2010 – Yesterday, as BP CEO Tony Hayward testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the disastrous irresponsibility of the big oil company that led to the worst environmental disaster in US history, there are some people in Washington who are amazingly defending both Mr. Hayward and BP.
The Republican Study Committee, a group of conservative Members of the House of Representatives, released a statement this week calling the $20 billion BP escrow account a “Chicago-style political shakedown.” Not a single Republican member denounced this position when it was released. Not one.
In fact, the Republican industry-friendly approach was echoed by RSC member and the highest ranking member of the committee that oversees the oil industry, Joe Barton (R-Tx), who not only called the BP accountability fund instituted by the President a “shakedown” but went on to apologize to BP and BP CEO Tony Hayward.