Who's Flackin' Who? TPM's Tour Of The Oil Spill Flack Universe- Who's On Damage Control?

[chill_wind]

TPM's Tour Of The Oil Spill Flack Universe -- Who's On Damage Control?
Christina Bellantoni | May 5, 2010, 12:25PM

As the oil industry went into full damage control mode following the catastrophic spill in the Gulf of Mexico, their corporate public relations went into overdrive too, with firms across Washington jumping in to help British Petroleum and BP firing up its Facebook page and Twitter feed. The universe of flacks Americans might be seeing on television and quoted in news stories has widened, with BP executives making the rounds, hosting journalists for explainer sessions and corporate PR folks helping craft an image of a company doing everything it can to help.

The industry already had an army of lobbyists and PR hands deployed in Washington to influence the negotiations over climate change legislation (which may be in dire straits thanks to the spill), and BP brought in the international consulting firm the Brunswick Group.



Roll Call reported today (sub. req.) that London-based BP has five outside firms and is using social media to push the PR effort. Politico reported today that BP CEO Tony Hayward hosted Gulf Coast reporters for a Q&A session at the firm's Washington office.


Among the best-known BP reps in Washington is Tony Podesta, brother to former Clinton White House chief of staff John Podesta. Tony's The Podesta Group lobbies on behalf of BP. We asked their role in the oil spill and they referred all calls back to BP. But we know Podesta has the ear of the White House and of his brother's liberal and influential Center for American Progress.

Also on board is Washington communications consultant Michele Davis of Brunswick Group LLP. BP officials in London referred our calls to her but she hasn't yet gotten back to us. Davis, a former top aide for Hank Paulson's Treasury Department under President George W. Bush, recently spoke with TPM for a story about the 2008 bailout.

more:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/oil_spill_damage_control_--_bp_has_wide_net_of_fir.php?ref=fpblg

[flyarm]

1. Obama biggest recipient of BP cash

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=6584A5A0-18FE-70B2-A838E6437FBEC75D

Obama biggest recipient of BP cash - POLITICO.com


Obama biggest recipient of BP cash
By: Erika Lovley
May 5, 2010 05:05 AM EDT

While the BP oil geyser pumps millions of gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, President Barack Obama and members of Congress may have to answer for the millions in campaign contributions they’ve taken from the oil and gas giant over the years.

BP and its employees have given more than $3.5 million to federal candidates over the past 20 years, with the largest chunk of their money going to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Donations come from a mix of employees and the company’s political action committees — $2.89 million flowed to campaigns from BP-related PACs and about $638,000 came from individuals.

On top of that, the oil giant has spent millions each year on lobbying — including $15.9 million last year alone — as it has tried to influence energy policy.

During his time in the Senate and while running for president, Obama received a total of $77,051 from the oil giant and is the top recipient of BP PAC and individual money over the past 20 years, according to financial disclosure records.

An Obama spokesman rejected the notion that the president took big oil money.
“President Obama didn’t accept a dime from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists during his presidential campaign,” spokesman Ben LaBolt said. “He raised $750 million from nearly four million Americans. And since he became president, he rolled back tax breaks and giveaways for the oil and gas industry, spearheaded a G20 agreement to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, and made the largest investment in American history in clean energy incentives.”

In Congress, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who last week cautioned that the incident should “not be used inappropriately” to halt Obama’s push for expansion of offshore drilling, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of BP’s largesse. Her comments created some blowback, with critics complaining that she is too blasé about the impact of the disaster, even though she was among the first lawmakers to call for a federal investigation into the spill.

As the top congressional recipient in the last cycle and one of the top BP cash recipients of the past two decades, Landrieu banked almost $17,000 from the oil giant in 2008 alone and has lined her war chest with more than $28,000 in BP cash overall.

snip:

Environmentalists complain that Landrieu has played down the impact of oil spills.

“I mean, just the gallons are so minuscule compared to the benefits of U.S. strength and security, the benefits of job creation and energy security,” Landrieu said at a hearing last month on offshore drilling. “So while there are risks associated with everything, I think you understand that they are quite, quite minimal.”

[chill_wind]

2. What did they say about McCain, the biggest grandaddy

of all in 2008 in Oil and Gas overall?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=534058&mesg_id=534058

It's all a big problem for all of us getting ripped over by Big Oil, but it's somewhat specious for them to leave out McCain, if they did.

I'll try to read it all (got to collect a child from school and got to run in the meantime.)

[emulatorloo]

3. POLITICO

that tells me all I need to know. Right wing rag with an agenda, spin things as negatively as possible. Very often wrong.

[chill_wind]

4. But the OP is TPM

and between that article and all this from opensecrets:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x534058

it's so clear that there is so much campaign and lobbying money flowing between all the vested interests and parties that it's impossible to imagine a cleanup- of any kind- in this influence juggernaut.

If Politico wants to just zero in on BP, fine, but it's clear what they're doing by keeping it narrow, and I still don't see why McCain doesn't also have to answer in the media's Big Oil picture-- when he raked in *the most by far of anyone in 2008.*

[emulatorloo]

7. Reply one is Politico

ON EDIT: and the TPM article you posted is very interesting -- thanks for posting it!

[flyarm]

9. excuse me ..i didn't know you chose everyone's sources..give me your number I willcall you next time

I post something and get your approval of my source..seems to me Politico has been used here as a source for many many years..in fact for all 6 years i have been posting at du..did you deciude what souces are the correct ones for your approval ???????

lets see who..isn't approved any more..

Helen Thomas

Glen Greenwald

Firedoglake.

and on and on and on.

Now Politico.....

wonder who will be on your shit list tommorrow???????

[emulatorloo]

10. HA HA - I am free to point out that POLITICO is a right wing rag (it is) and has an agenda

Just as you are free to post from it.

Do some research on Politico, who funds it, where the reporters came from and what their biases are.

A fun place to start is to go to mediamatters and tyoe in POLITICO,

[flyarm]

11. and John Stewarts people write Obama's jokes..so your point is what..can you dispute

what they are reporting? Can you..if you can please do..and then dispute my local Fla news that just reported the same fucking thing!

Then Dispute Open Secrets..come on..bring it on!

And explain the reason BP didn't have to submit to an audit last year..

bring it the fuck on!

Then dispute why Obama broke his promise to Floridians that there would be no drilling..

then dispute the 200,000 gallons of oil dumping into the Gulf today and yesterday and the day before..

and dispute the dead birds on the beach that is my back yard..and the black smoke in my air over the gulf..then dispute Tom Dashle getting $120,000. bucks from BP and our new CIA director that got $120,000 bucks from BP..come on..show it to all of us!

And of course we know no one has lied about any of this right?????????

Yeah whatever..but Those of us facing this disaster are a little damn tired of the bullshit ..and the pandering and the lies ..and the greed by both fucking parties!

You come clean up the dead birds on my beach and the dead fish ..you breath the shitty air we have been privy to!

Prove this isn't true...i don't give a damn what rag is coming out with truth..we sure as fuck are not getting it from our government or BP!

Oh and on our local news tonight..they said Janet Napolitano is coming here to my county tommorrow,.and they said she is going to be faced with damn angry Floridians that are going to give her an earful of how BP is delaying preperations and are screwing this up and the enviorn people have had it..they are going to be en-mass and let her have it.. that they are told they have to deal with BP the mtf'ers who caused this disaster facing our coast! Now it has gone way past frustration to damn angry people! And people here on the gulf coast know it is both parties responsible for this shit!

[emulatorloo]

14. stop putting words in my mouth -

"then dispute the 200,000 gallons of oil dumping into the Gulf today and yesterday and the day before.."

"and dispute the dead birds on the beach that is my back yard"

Hyperbolic ranting and making shit up about what I said is ridiculous.

[flyarm]

17. Kpete posted this today..maybe you should go admonish her as well..although the story is true...

..but, but but....... it is from Politico.........you know the rag you hate??
This is on the greatest..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4369068

Source: Politico

In a major blow to Democrats, House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey has told close associates that he will not seek re-election and an announcement of his plans is expected as early as Wednesday.

The Wisconsin Democrat faces tough poll numbers at home, but until Tuesday night his staff had insisted he was running aggressively and had hired campaign staff. But a person close to him confirmed the decision to POLITICO Wednesday and said Obey was preparing to make a statement.

A press conference has been called at 1 p.m. and Obey staff indicated that he would announce his plans then.

Elected in 1969, the liberal is a major institutional figure who played a leading role in the anti-war and reform movement of the House in the 1970’s. As the Appropriations chairman, he has been a close ally to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D—Cal.) who came up through the same panel before moving into the leadership. And his departure follows on the death of Rep. John Murtha (D—Pa.) this winter, a second Pelosi ally veteran of the powerful committee.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36812.html

[emulatorloo]

16. P.S. and stop trying to claim POLITICO is equivalent to Helen Thomas

Glen Greenwald and Firedoglake. Because that would make them very unhappy.

[flyarm]

5. try Open secrets as well ..and here on DU greatest as well!!

BP Enjoys Lobbying Strength, Close Ties to Lawmakers as Federal Investigation Looms
By Cassandra LaRussa on April 30, 2010 3:14 PM


On Thursday, oil giant BP asked for U.S. government assistance in cleaning up massive amounts of crude oil ominously approaching the coast of Louisiana -- the messy results of a recent oil rig explosion 40 miles off-shore.

snip:

During the 2008 election cycle, individuals and political action committees associated with BP -- a Center for Responsive Politics' "heavy hitter" -- contributed half a million dollars to federal candidates. About 40 percent of these donations went to Democrats. The top recipient of BP-related donations during the 2008 cycle was President Barack Obama himself, who collected $71,000.

BP regularly lobbies on Capitol Hill, as well. In 2009, the company spent a massive $16 million to influence legislation. During the first quarter of 2010, it spent $3.53 million on federal lobbying efforts, ranking it second (behind ConocoPhillips) among all oil and gas industry interests.

Its registered lobbyists include a number of former federal government and high-ranking political campaign officials, including longtime political operative Tony Podesta, former congressional chief of staff Bob Brooks, former congressional legislative director David Pore and vice presidential aide Michael S. Berman, the Center's research shows.

The oil and gas industry, of which BP is a member, reported $169 million in 2009 lobbying expenditures.



The bill also calls for additional research and inventory of oil and gas reserves in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), who has received $14,000 in campaign donations during the past two decades from those associated with BP, the Center finds.

In 2009, BP also lobbied on the Oil Spill Prevention Act of 2009 and the Clean Water Restoration Act.

The oil spill, which has yet to be remedied, was caused by an explosion on a BP-leased oil rig on April 20.

snip:

In 2009, individuals and political action committees associated with BP donated $16,000 to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

In addition, five of the all-time top 10 recipients of BP money in the House of Representatives sit on the House Energy Committee: John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) Joe Barton (R-Tex.), Ralph M. Hall (R-Tex.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Fred Upton, (R-Mich.).

All have received upward of $13,000 from BP-related individuals and political action committees during the past two decades. Dingell, the second most favored recipient of BP money in the House, has received $31,000.

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/04/on-thursday-oil...

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 /

[emulatorloo]

8. $71,000 to Obama in 2008? That's not a lot of money. And what % was individual employee donations

Because as you know, if an individual makes a donation it is reported under the company he or she works for.

There is some compulsion to claim that Obama is responsible for the BP spill. Not buying it from negative spin in POLITICO

[flyarm]

12. You are not counting the PAC money or the employee money!

play your propaganda game with someone else ..i have no patients for your ignorance or your games! My back yard is about to face the worst disaster and catastrophe in history!

[emulatorloo]

15. individual employees contribs are recorded under BP. But the money is from individuals, not BP

When I gave money to Obama it was reported under the company I work for. It was not my companies money, it was mine.

(And please don't go on an hyperbolic rant about how I "work for BP" because I don't)

You know this as weil as I do.

We all know this is a huge disaster. From Olbermann tonight sounds like lots of responsibility lies with Dick Cheney.

[ipaint]

13. Podesta is a top lobbyist bundler

Top Five Lobbyist Bundlers Revealed; Four Worked Exclusively for Democrats

Prolific lobbyist Anthony T. “Tony” Podesta, 65, ranks second on the list with $394,800 in bundled donations. One of GQ’s 2009 “50 Most Powerful People in D.C.”, Podesta is wired into the Democratic establishment — his brother John served as Bill Clinton’s White House chief of staff and more recently acted as President Barack Obama’s transition team co-chair while running the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning DC-based think-tank.Tony Podesta personally donated at least $84,750 to Democratic campaigns and committees this cycle alone, including a total of $50,000 donated to the DCCC. Over the same period, he bundled $142,900 for the DCCC and $102,000 to its sister Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). His wife, Heather, is a successful lobbyist in her own right and bundled another $25,000 to the DCCC and $79,750 to the DSCC respectively. Podesta also bundled $78,400 for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and $41,000 for Sen. Patty Murray. His numerous clients cover the gamut of major issues facing Congress, but Podesta has had an especially lucrative year lobbying on health reform — a recent Center investigation revealed Podesta’s firm had the fourth-largest number of clients concerned with the issue. Podesta’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

http://www.publicintegrity.org/articles/entry/2048 /

[flyarm]

6. read it here on the greatest..Ya know there is nothing worse for this nation...

than blind obedience! It was blind obedience that many repukes sat silent over the shit Bush was doing..and how did that work out for us?

check it out..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x534058

[EFerrari]

18. Kick