Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Some Republicans consider BP deal a U.S. "shakedown"
Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 6/17/10 | Steve Holland

Posted on 06/17/2010 11:45:20 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The first apology that rang out in a congressional hearing about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill on Thursday was not from BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward.

It was from Texas Republican Representative Joe Barton, who apologized to Hayward for BP's having to agree to a deal with President Barack Obama to set up a $20 billion fund for Gulf damage claims.

"I'm speaking totally for myself, I'm not speaking for the Republican party ... but I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday," Barton said.

He called it "a tragedy of the first proportion, that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, a $20 billion shakedown."

Barton's point was that BP should pay for damage claims but should be allowed to follow the "due process and fairness" of the American legal system.

...

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs quickly denounced Barton and called on members of both parties to repudiate his comments.

"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," said Gibbs.

BARTON NOT ALONE

Barton is not alone among Republicans holding this view.

Georgia Republican Representative Tom Price, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservative House members, issued a statement on Wednesday arguing the same point.

He said the White House does not have the legal authority to compel a private company to set up and fund an escrow account. The White House has dismissed such criticism.

Price said BP's willingness to go along with the White House's new fund suggests that the Obama administration is "hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style shakedown politics."

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bp; deal; joebarton; republicans; shakedown
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last
To: NormsRevenge

Maybe it could have been less than $20 billion if Zero had defended our coast better?


21 posted on 06/17/2010 11:58:15 AM PDT by bergmeid (Stop the assault on the Gulf Coast!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Freddd

And we all know BP is in bed with Obama, I say it was ‘protection money’ from further ruining them than Obama has already done...


22 posted on 06/17/2010 11:58:16 AM PDT by Freddd (CNN is down to Three Hundred Thousand viewers. But they worked for it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Signalman

Yeah, I’ve been wondering how many billion in damages the New Jersey unions have absorbed from the gulf spill. Bet you a lot more money goes to United Auto Workers than shrimp fishermen.


23 posted on 06/17/2010 11:59:09 AM PDT by Richard Kimball (We're all criminals. They just haven't figured out what some of us have done yet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

A fine time to find priniciples, eh?

It wasn’t simply the legal point, but the groveling, demeaning apology delivered from the appropriate prostrate position.


24 posted on 06/17/2010 12:00:20 PM PDT by swarthyguy (KIDS! Deficit, Debt,Taxes!Pfft Lookit the bright side of our legacy -Ummrika is almost SmokFrei!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand
Even if was intentional, it still is what it is - which is politically stupid to be seen defending them

Setting the PR aspect aside, I applaud people who stand up for the rule of law and recognize mafia style politics for what they are....and unabashedly say so.

25 posted on 06/17/2010 12:00:28 PM PDT by Las Vegas Ron ("Because without America, there is no free world" - Canada Free Press - MSM, where are you?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

The Democrats and their sychophants in the mainstream media are characterizing this as standing for the greedy corporations.

In fact, Rep. Barton and others are expressing concern at how this precedent will enable the government to levy fines without a trial. That is a step toward rule by decree, which is a threat to us all.


26 posted on 06/17/2010 12:04:18 PM PDT by walford (http://natural-law-natural-religion.blogspot.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

What would Reuters call it? Does Reuters admire it when the Administration acts like Chavez?

We have laws in this country that establish liability. We don’t need Obama and his stupid side-kick, Biden, demanding money from corporations.


27 posted on 06/17/2010 12:05:08 PM PDT by popdonnelly (Democrats = authoritarian socialists)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

What would Reuters call it? Does Reuters admire it when the Administration acts like Chavez?

We have laws in this country that establish liability. We don’t need Obama and his stupid side-kick, Biden, demanding money from corporations.


28 posted on 06/17/2010 12:05:09 PM PDT by popdonnelly (Democrats = authoritarian socialists)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Ron
"I applaud people who stand up for the rule of law and recognize mafia style politics for what they are....and unabashedly say so. "

Yes, I'm reminded of the other Republican who did the same exact thing - Barry Goldwater, who not coincidentally lost in a landslide and gave Johnson another 4 years to expand the New Deal.

Principled stands are great but they rarely win many elections.

29 posted on 06/17/2010 12:05:19 PM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Rule of law makes you do the right thing but it also protects you from the mob when things go wrong. Its Wyatt Earp standing off the lynch mob even though the guy in the cell is guilty.

In O’s world, Wyatt and the lynch mob clean out the perp’s pockets and if they get enough out of him, they let him go.

This is how third world thugocracies operate. This is exactly how they operate.


30 posted on 06/17/2010 12:05:21 PM PDT by marron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

The question that needs to be asked about the SLUSH FUND is why did BP agree to it so quickly?

BP is a multibillion dollar company. They have lawyers. They knew they could fight this. So what did they get in exchange?


31 posted on 06/17/2010 12:05:24 PM PDT by RKBA Democrat (WHO ARE YOU??! WHO ARE YOU??! **hiccup**)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

“Price said BP’s willingness to go along with the White House’s new fund suggests that the Obama administration is “hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style shakedown politics.”

Criminals of one sort or another always prey on the weakest in society, and the Left is certainly weak in the brains department, thus they are the useful idiots of the criminals that comprise the Chicago-style shakedown, and are now in power due those idiots of the Left, the PC idiots of the Right, and Independents.

None of this truly represents the entirety of the American people. It’s a contrivance of Leftists funded by the National, International criminal element that has bullied, and purchased their way into the leadership of that weak element known as the nitwit Left.

Even the nitwit Leftists are pee’d off, but from a Leftditz perspective.

I think American’s are catching the act. C’mon November.


32 posted on 06/17/2010 12:05:51 PM PDT by rockinqsranch (The Left draws criminals as excrement draws flies. The Left IS a criminal organization.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge
"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," said Gibbs.

This just wee wees me up, along with some of the comments from other FReepers who seem to think Barton is handing Dems some ammo for his remarks this morning. BP hasn't done anything to indicate they will be welshing out of this thing, have they? I'm sorry, I think I missed the footage of the CEO and the other execs enjoying vacations with their families while the oil gushes (as we have with 0bama), telling the camera "Pshaw, money? For what, fishermen?"

The language used, the implications being made are that BP would not pony up this dough unless 0bama made it happen. It is outrageous -- the apology owed is for the sly impression being levied that BP is nothing but a bunch of crooks.

33 posted on 06/17/2010 12:07:56 PM PDT by MozarkDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

The coverage is almost impossible to watch, Hayward is so astoundingly inept that even the Barton has now turned on him.

CNN is running a continuous live feed of the leak split screen during his testimony - This HAS to be the worst corporate PR disaster in history - I’m just in complete awe of the stupidity of whoever decided this was a viable strategy.


34 posted on 06/17/2010 12:08:17 PM PDT by M. Dodge Thomas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand
Principled stands are great but they rarely win many elections.

Which goes back to my original post to you, "ya think they set it this way up deliberately?"

35 posted on 06/17/2010 12:09:22 PM PDT by Las Vegas Ron ("Because without America, there is no free world" - Canada Free Press - MSM, where are you?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

It’s a shakedown - gee you think?


36 posted on 06/17/2010 12:09:32 PM PDT by Tzimisce (No thanks. We have enough government already. - The Tick)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #37 Removed by Moderator

To: Las Vegas Ron
"Which goes back to my original post to you, "ya think they set it this way up deliberately?" "

Yes, from that perspective, absolutely.

38 posted on 06/17/2010 12:10:32 PM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Our country is becoming Venezuela faster than Venezuela itself.


39 posted on 06/17/2010 12:11:23 PM PDT by Texas resident (Outlaw fisherman)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Rest assured, Don Tony, that because of the respect you have shown me I will spend your money wisely . . .

40 posted on 06/17/2010 12:12:19 PM PDT by colorado tanker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson