The Best Legislation Money Could Buy

[ProSense]

Apr 24, 2006

The Best Legislation Money Could Buy

Oil and Gas Executives got $8 Billion in Giveaways and Tax Breaks From the Special Interest Energy Bill in Addition to Their Sky-High Profits and All They had to do was Pad the Campaign Coffers of Republican Leaders

USA Today - House Softens Lobbying Measure: “House Republican leaders have quietly scaled back their plan to limit the political influence of lobbyists, dropping proposed requirements that lobbyists disclose which lawmakers and aides they have contacted and how they have raised money for politicians.” (USA Today, 4/24/06)

Contributions From Big Energy:

$220 million Energy industry money accepted by the Republican Party since 1994.
$1,040,370 Oil and gas money accepted by Joe Barton, the author of the Energy Bill

$365,238 Oil and gas money accepted by Dennis Hastert, Republican Speaker of the House

$2,627,825 Oil and gas money accepted by George W. Bush during the 2004 election cycle alone


Gas Prices

When George Bush Took Office: $1.52

Last Month: $2.50

Last Year: $2.22

Today: $2.91

Last Summer: $3.06

This Summer: $?

(Sources: AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report, Runzheimer International)

(Washington, D.C.) – With the news today that the Republican leadership is planning on weakening lobbying restrictions, it is more apparent than ever that the special interests hold massive sway over Congress. Even after the lobbying scandals of convicted felon and former Republican super-lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, Republicans in Congress still want lobbyists to have the run of the place. Last summer, lobbyists for the oil and gas industry pushed for the special interest legislation that eventually turned into the energy bill. The bill, which was signed and touted by the Bush administration and spearheaded in Congress by Joe Barton, Dennis Hastert and the Republican leadership, does nothing to stop the soaring cost of gas, nothing to prevent gas stations from gouging consumers but does send $8 billion to the oil and gas industry in the form of giveaways and tax breaks.

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http://www.dccc.org/news/Best_Legislation_04242006