Brian Beutler June 23, 2010, 2:33 PM

Now that House Republicans have concluded that Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) can keep his post as top GOPer on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Democrats are associating that decision with Republican members in contested districts, highlighting their complicity with party leadership and Barton himself.

“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,” reads a statement from DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer. “This is another outrageous example of Representative Reichert putting Big Oil, like British Petroleum, before American taxpayers. Voters will not tolerate Republicans like Reichert who want a British Petroleum apologist to lead their party’s energy policy and their continuing efforts to block holding British Petroleum fully accountable.”

If you’re keeping track, Barton first apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward over the government response to the oil spill, then apologized for his apology, then basically took back his apology, until his spokesman took responsibility for taking back the apology.

This push will be made in Reichert’s Washington state district as well as the districts of the members below the fold, including GOP leadership.

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)

BP, Dave Reichert, Eric Cantor, Gulf Coast Oil Spill, Joe Barton, Mike Pence, Mike Ross, Oil, Oil Spill