DCCC tries to tie Rep. Paulsen to Barton BP apology

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says it will be targeting Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen over what they say is support by Republicans for BP. Specifically, the group is targeting vulnerable Republicans who have not denounced Rep. Joe Barton of Texas whose apology to BP — and subsequent retraction — sparked an uproar on both sides of the aisle.

Paulsen’s DFL opponent, Jim Meffert, seized on the news that the DCCC would be targeting Paulsen.

“We are in the midst of the greatest environmental disaster in our nation’s history. Tens of thousands of gallons of oil from BP’s well are spilling into the Gulf every day, destroying homes and businesses throughout the Gulf coast region and beyond,” he said in a statement on Thursday. “Yet the Congressman from our district is busy rubbing elbows with BP’s lobbyists, sitting silent while his colleague apologizes to BP, taking contributions from oil companies, and voting against clean energy. This behavior is beyond the pale.”

A week ago, he called on Paulsen to denounce the comments and ask Barton to “step down step down from his leadership post as the Ranking Member of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee.” (Indications were yesterday that Barton’s position there is safe.)

The first salvo in the DCCC’s campaign is targeting Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington. “House Republicans like Representative Dave Reichert are keeping British Petroleum apologist Joe Barton as their top Republican on energy policy and continue to back his unbelievable obstruction to holding British Petroleum accountable for this disaster,” the DCCC said in a statement.

The DCCC is targeting the following Republicans:

Judy Biggert (IL-13) John Boehner (OH-08) Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11) Erik Paulsen (MN-03) Paul Ryan (WI-01) Aaron Schock (IL-18) Lee Terry (NE-02) Patrick Tiberi (OH-12) Leonard Lance (NJ-07) Tim Murphy (PA-18) Joe Pitts (PA-16) Eric Cantor (VA-07) Mike Pence (IN-06) Pete Sessions (TX-32) Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) Charles Djou (HI-01) Dan Lungren (CA-03) Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) Dave Reichert (WA-08)