Meffert: Paulsen should denounce Barton’s BP apology
Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 5:03 pm
- 6 Comments
Photo: Jim Meffert for Congress
DFL-endorsed congressional candidate Jim Meffert called on Rep. Erik Paulsen to denounce Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, for apologizing to BP for the Obama administration-BP agreement to create a $20 billion victims’ escrow fund in the wake of the gulf oil disaster. Meffert says Paulsen should ask Barton to step down from his committee assignment. One Republican, Rep. Jeff Miller of Florida, has already called for such a measure.
“The real ‘tragedy’ today is that the leaders who are supposed to be standing up for Gulf Coast residents and holding BP accountable are instead rushing to BP’s defense,” Meffert said in a statement. “Rep. Barton should be ashamed of his words today, and I am calling on Congressman Erik Paulsen to ask Barton to step down step down from his leadership post as the Ranking Member of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee.”
Meffert continued, “As Paulsen has done nothing so far to help resolve this crisis, the least he can do now is denounce Barton’s comments and pledge that none of our tax dollars will be used to bail out BP or help clean up their mess. This disaster cannot become the taxpayers’ problem.”
Barton issued two retractions on Thursday — one on the House floor and another in writing — saying “I regret the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident.”
Meffert is challenging Paulsen for the 3rd Congressional District seat this November.
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter6 Comments
Comment posted June 17, 2010 @ 6:02 pm
Pretty lame shot. He should have spoken more generally about Republicans and how out of touch they are. He could have very easily gotten a shot in at Bachman, she said some just as idiotic a few days ago. Democrat’s need to learn how to construct a narative.
Comment posted June 18, 2010 @ 9:09 am
Barton’s initial comments typify in general the Republican party mindset toward the average American (corporations 1st, people 2nd or maybe a distant 4th behind dogs and cats). Think about it next time you vote.
Comment posted June 18, 2010 @ 10:41 am
BP is a Democrat company in American political terms – not Republican. Let’s use the facts. BP has close ties to Joe Biden and John Kerry. BP’s contributions to democrats wildly exceeded those to republicans with the largest candidate receiving contributions being none other than Barack Obama at $1 million. I can’t believe he has not remitted these funds to the $20 billion escrow account – every elected official should. The “mindset” offered by rocknwroll is a fantasy construct of republicans – not reality. BP is a democrat company – at least in the US, and now they are being shaken down. The apology is necessary because it hit so close to home – evidently Barton has now been “shaken down” – too bad.
Comment posted June 18, 2010 @ 10:53 am
Is that why it’s exclusively Republicans rushing to BP’s defense?
Comment posted June 18, 2010 @ 11:15 am
Sgt. Meffert of the speech police, reporting for duty.
Who decided it needed to be $20 billion? Why not $10 billion? Why not $40 billion? Why does a federal bureaucrat have to manage it? Why not a state egency from the affected states? Why not a bank?
Barton wasn’t as off-base as those who’d like him to shut up.
Comment posted June 18, 2010 @ 11:29 am
I don’t know if “rushing to BP’s defense” is an accurate description of the situation. However, who among the dems is going to weigh in against the shake down. They are getting a free ride:
1) Received BP’s support in terms of political contributions
2) Confiscated $20 Billion from BP
3) Used Barton’s statements for a fund raising letter that is now being circulated (can you imagine the dems are using this tragedy for political fundraising)
4) Use the media to portray BP as a friend and tool of republicans to cast a dark shadow on the party – when the fact of the matter is that BP is no friend of the republicans – BP is a friend of the democrats
The truth is hidden, but not very well. BHO did shake BP down. To the extent people chose to ignore this bad path we are walking the worst is yet to come
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