2010 elections

Blunt's Hopes For Top Republican Slot On Energy Committee Blunted By Reality

Christina Bellantoni | June 23, 2010, 6:33PM

Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)

The thirty seconds in which it seemed like Rep. Joe Barton's (R-TX) seat atop the Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee might be in question led to quite a bit of quiet jockeying on the Hill for the right to fill the chair. Given that Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) often touts the fact he's the "second-highest ranking Republican" on the committee all over the place and that he was named to that deputy spot behind Barton last February, one might have assumed that Blunt would have been next in line.

Republican aides weren't willing to say this on the record, but TPMDC learned that Blunt was never under consideration to get the spot. GOP leadership aides made it clear that Rep. Fred Upton (MI) was most likely to get the spot, with Rep. John Shimkus (IL) the contender behind Upton.

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Joe Barton

DCCC Puts GOP On Spot For Not Ousting Barton

Brian Beutler | June 23, 2010, 2:33PM

Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX)

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.

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Joe Barton

Barton Apologized To GOP-ers At Meeting Today

Rachel Slajda | June 23, 2010, 12:05PM

Rep. Joe L. Barton

Greg Sargent reports that Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) stood up in front of fellow House Republicans this morning and apologized for, as Sargent put it, "putting them in a bad spot."

After Barton apologized to his colleagues today, Minority Leader John Boehner stood up and said that it's time to move on, a source told Sargent. Boehner also announced that Barton would keep his post as ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

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Rush Limbaugh

Limbaugh Is Now Too Oily For Republicans To Touch

Brian Beutler | June 23, 2010, 10:37AM

Rush Limbaugh

If more politicians were as forthright as Rep. Steven King (R-IA), Rush Limbaugh might have more friends in Congress these days. In fact, Republicans are so on-message with the idea that Joe Barton was wrong, and speaking for himself, when he apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward that they're even willing to throw the conservative talk show host and noted GOP opinion-mover under the bus.

King says that's mostly for show. Republicans, he suspects, are publicly distancing themselves from Tony Haward apologist Joe Barton while privately acknowledging that he was right to accuse the White House of shaking down BP.

"I think there will be a few that, like me, will agree with JB's words, and his description, and there will be a lot of others that privately agree with what he said," King told TPMDC yesterday.

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Stanley McChrystal

Whew! TPM's List Of Folks Breathing Sighs Of Relief Thanks To Gen. McChrystal

Christina Bellantoni | June 23, 2010, 10:13AM

(Clockwise from top left) Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), BP CEO Tony Hayward, a Taliban fighter, Senate candidate Sharron Angle (R-NV)

Gen. Stanley McChrystal isn't the only person who was worried about losing his rank this week. But thanks to an explosive Rolling Stone profile that changed the political conversation in Washington, McChrystal is likely to be the only one who actually does.

TPM put together a list of the people who just might be thankful for the McChrystal mess, even if they only have a brief reprieve from their own nasty headlines.

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Joe Barton

Top Republican: Barton's Seat On Energy Committee Is Safe

Brian Beutler | June 23, 2010, 9:00AM

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)

NRCC chairman Pete Sessions, whose job it is to increase GOP ranks in the House, says Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) will likely retain his post as the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Asked last night after a House vote if Barton may face further repercussions for apologizing to BP CEO Tony Hayward, Sessions told reporters that Barton's already paid his penance.

"I don't think that's the direction we're headed in," Sessions said. "...I believe that Joe has adequately addressed the issue."

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Cliff Stearns

Report: Joe Barton To Be 'Special Guest' At FL GOPer's Fundraiser

Jillian Rayfield | June 22, 2010, 3:53PM

Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX) and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL)

Most Republicans have been doing backflips to distance themselves from Joe Barton, who apologized to BP last week for the $20 billion escrow fund set up to make BP pay for Gulf Coast oil spill damages.

But Barton reportedly still has at least one friend left: Florida Republican Cliff Stearns is having a fundraiser next week, and according to the Miami Herald, Barton is his "special guest."

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2010 elections

Cornyn Says 'No One' Agrees With Barton

Christina Bellantoni | June 22, 2010, 1:51PM

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, said today that Democrats' attempts to link the GOP with Rep. Joe Barton's apology to BP last week are not going to "fly." TPMDC asked Cornyn about Barton's remarks becoming a national issue Democrats are pushing on his Senate candidates and upon the GOP as a party.

"This, I just don't think going to fly to try to attribute that to anyone else," Cornyn (R-TX) told me after the party lunches today. "Frankly, I know of no one who's agreed with those comments. Everyone has said clearly the only one who should apologize is BP."

Should Barton lose his status as ranking member? That's for the House GOP to decide, Cornyn said: "What Congressman Barton said is between Congressman Barton and his constituents."

Joe Barton

Hoyer Hits Barton For Apology To BP

Christina Bellantoni | June 22, 2010, 11:51AM

Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters today he sees the flap over Rep. Joe Barton's apology to BP as giving voters the chance to decide this fall if they want a party which will serve as a check and balance system over corporate America.

Hoyer predicted that thanks to Barton a measure giving Congress subpoena power over BP to investigate the spill will pass the House. (It stalled in the Senate last week.)

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2010 elections

Dems Double Down On Joe Barton In Second TV Ad Poking GOP (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | June 22, 2010, 6:00AM

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX)

The Democratic National Committee is putting a second television ad on national cable today as the party keeps Rep. Joe Barton's apology to BP alive and tries to capitalize on it in time for the midterm Congressional elections. The first effort led to donations in the "significant six figures," the DNC said.

The ad, obtained by TPMDC, links Barton to Senate candidate Rand Paul (R-KY) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

The DNC was attempting to "amplify" White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's message over the weekend that Barton's comments about the spill and the escrow account for claims being a "shakedown" are part of a governing philosophy.

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Joe Barton

Dems Continue Calls For Barton's Scalp After Apology To BP

Brian Beutler | June 21, 2010, 8:19AM

Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX)

The next salvo in the tussle over Joe Barton's apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward will be Democratic pressure on individual House Republicans to join the call for Barton to relinquish his position as the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

"The question for every House Republican incumbent and candidate is simple: either stand with the people of the Gulf and American taxpayers or with Joe Barton, the 114 Member Republican Study Committee, and Republican Leadership in their belief that holding British Petroleum accountable is a 'shakedown'," says Ryan Rudominer, National Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "For starters, Republicans need to answer whether they think British Petroleum apologist Joe Barton should remain the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee."

The two parties remain locked in a bitter political fight, which touched off last week when Barton became the face of GOP sympathy for the oil industry, with oil still gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.

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Oil Spill

Foot, Meet Mouth: Our Top Six GOP Oil Spill Gaffes

Brian Beutler | June 18, 2010, 6:00PM

(Clockwise from top left) MS Gov. Haley Barbour, Rep. Michelle Bachmann, Former AK Gov. Sarah Palin, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), KY Sen. candidate Rand Paul (R-KY)

BP isn't standing alone with one foot on the ground and the other in its mouth. Since the spill began in April, Republicans have demonstrated an exceptional tendency to blurt out their inconvenient beliefs about the disaster and the federal response. And we're not talking about backbenchers here -- the dirty talk has come from their most powerful and visible members. From Capitol Hill to the Gulf Coast, we bring you, in chronological order, the top six GOP oil spill slip-ups.

1. Rand Paul
He's since gone into hiding, likely on NRSC orders, but back when the Kentucky Senate hopeful was still flapping his gums (to hilarious effect) on national television, he let slip that he wanted the Obama administration to leave BP aloooooone!

"This sort of, you know 'I'll put my boot heel on the throat of BP,' I think that sounds really un-American in his criticism of business," Paul said on Good Morning America last month.

Watch:

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2010 elections

DNC Ad: If The GOP Wins Congress, Joe Barton Would Oversee BP (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 18, 2010, 5:51PM

New ad from the Democratic National Committee

The Democratic National Committee has a new national TV ad, aiming to nail the whole Republican Party to Rep. Joe Barton's (R-TX) public apology to BP for the $20 billion escrow account that the Obama administration worked out with them, to pay for damages from the big oil spill.

The ad makes hay of Barton's status as the ranking Republican on the House committee that oversees the oil industry. The announcer says: "Now, at President Obama's direction, BP's set aside 20 billion for recovery on the Gulf coast. But if Republicans were in charge, this is the guy who'd be overseeing BP."

The GOP clearly knew how politically damaging this would be, as they ordered Barton to retract his apology immediately. But that's not stopping the Dems from putting out a message that Barton said what his party was really thinking about making BP pay for the damages.

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Joe Barton

Second Republican Demands Barton Step Down From Energy Post

Rachel Slajda | June 18, 2010, 3:34PM

Rep. Joe L. Barton

A second Republican Congressman has asked Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to resign as ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee after Barton apologized to BP yesterday.

Rep. Jo Bonner, who represents an Alabama coastal district, said in a statement that Barton should step down.

"We all make mistakes and I don't know anyone who hasn't said something at one time or
another that he wished he hadn't said," the statement begins. Bonner said that Barton called him this morning to personally apologize.

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Joe Barton

Barton Likely Wouldn't Be Chairman Even Without BP Apology

Rachel Slajda | June 18, 2010, 11:39AM

Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX)

After Rep. Joe Barton yesterday did the unthinkable and apologized to BP, several -- including White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs -- jumped on the fact that, should Republicans take back the House in the midterms, Barton would be the natural choice to assume the chairmanship of the House energy committee.

"Who would the GOP put in charge of overseeing the energy industry & Big Oil if they won control of Congress? Yup, u guessed it - JOE BARTON," Gibbs tweeted yesterday.

But Barton, apparently, had slim chances at the chair, even as ranking member. Why? Term limits, according to Minority Leader John Boehner.

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Oil Spill

Hannity And Gingrich Agree With Barton On BP 'Shakedown' -- Even After Barton Took It Back (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 18, 2010, 11:27AM

Gingrich on Hannity

On last night's episode of Sean Hannity's TV show, Hannity and former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) went ahead and agreed with Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) that the BP escrow account is a "shakedown." And amusingly, they failed to even mention that Barton was subjected to widespread media ridicule and then ordered by the GOP leadership to retract his comments just hours after he dramatically apologized to BP.

"We had this show on Capitol Hill today. And Joe Barton, congressman, said you know what, this is a shakedown," said Hannity. "We have a lot of other Congressmen, you know, debating whether or not the White House is exceeding their constitutional authority by demanding that BP put all this money in escrow, when in fact we have a law in place."

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Gulf Coast Oil Spill

How Joe Barton Managed To Have A Worse Day Than Tony Hayward

Rachel Slajda | June 17, 2010, 6:20PM

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX)

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, went out on a limb today to do something maybe no other American would think to do: He apologized to BP for having to put $20 billion into a fund for Gulf spill damages. Only Barton called it a "slush fund" and a "shakedown."

Barton's apology to BP led at first to a delicate dance, as some Republicans tried to move away from the so obviously toxic statements without outright condemning Barton, and later a full court press as Republican leaders publicly called Barton's comments "wrong."

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Joe Barton

Joe Barton: A Look Back In Video

Justin Elliott | June 17, 2010, 5:44PM

Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX)

Today's oil spill hearing ensures Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) will be entertaining YouTube audiences and warming Democratic hearts for weeks and months to come.

But we've been here before!

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BP

House GOP Leadership: Barton Was 'Wrong' On BP Apology -- And Spill Is A 'Natural Disaster'

Ben Frumin | June 17, 2010, 4:37PM

House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN), Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)

House Republican leadership has a strong message for Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX): You were wrong.

They also are rather strangely referring to the disastrous Gulf Coast oil spill as the "nation's largest natural disaster." (Emphasis added).

Barton apologized to BP this morning for the "tragedy" of its $20 billion fund to pay damage claims from the Gulf Coast oil spill. Barton has since apologized for apologizing to BP. Nonetheless, Reps. John Boehner (R-OH), Eric Cantor (R-VA), and Mike Pence (R-IN) released a joint statement this afternoon calling Barton's original statements "wrong."

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Joe Barton

Barton Retracts Apology To BP

Eric Lach | June 17, 2010, 4:36PM

Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-TX)

Rep. Joe Barton is sorry he said he was sorry. His office has now issued a statement retracting his earlier apology to BP further than he did earlier this afternoon during a congressional hearing with BP CEO Tony Hayward.

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Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Gibbs Says Obama Baffled By Barton's BP Comments, Biden Swipes Too

Christina Bellantoni | June 17, 2010, 3:05PM

Vice President Joe Biden

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said this afternoon that when he briefed President Obama on Rep. Joe Barton's apology to BP, the president was baffled. "He shook his head and ... said, 'I can't understand why anybody would say that,'" Gibbs told reporters during his daily briefing.

Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden had just told the press that Barton's comments were "outrageous" and "insensitive." Biden said Barton's comments seemed "incredibly out of touch," especially since the lawmaker hails from Texas, which also has been impacted by the spill. The vice president said anyone in Florida, Louisiana or Texas should disassociate themselves from Barton's remarks.

"This is an entire way of life that's in jeopardy," Biden said. He said he's surprised that for Barton would say he's "ashamed" because the White House is being "tough an oil company who caused the problem." Biden added, "There's no shakedown, it's insisting on responsible conduct, [a] responsible response to something they caused."

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Gulf Coast Oil Spill

GOP FL Rep Calls For Barton To Resign Committee Post

Rachel Slajda | June 17, 2010, 2:00PM

Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)

Via The Hill: Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), who represents Pensacola, has called on Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to resign as ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Miller said in a statement:

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BP

Boehner, Asked Whether BP Fund Is A 'Shakedown,' Seeks Distance From Barton (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | June 17, 2010, 12:32PM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

House Minority Leader John Boehner doesn't want to be lumped in with Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), who in a hearing today apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward for the $20 billion escrow fund that, in Barton's words, amounts to a "shakedown" and a "slush fund."

In an interview with Fox News this morning a few minutes after Barton spoke, Boehner was asked if he agreed.

"Would you call it a shakedown?" Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer asked.

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Gulf Coast Oil Spill

GOP Rep. Barton: 'I Apologize' To BP For 'Tragedy' Of Obama Admin's '$20 Billion Shakedown' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 17, 2010, 10:47AM

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX)

In the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing today on the BP oil spill, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) said something very remarkable: Amidst a committee slamming BP all around, he apologized to the company for the $20 billion escrow account that the Obama administration asked them to create for paying out damages in the case.

"I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown," Barton said.

I'm speaking now totally for myself, I'm not speaking for the Republican Party, I'm not speaking for anybody in the House of Representatives, but myself. But I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday.

I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown, with the Attorney General of the United States, who is legitimately conducting a criminal investigation and has every right to do so to protect the interests of the American people, participating in what amounts to a $20 billion slush fund that's unprecedented in our nation's history, that's got not legal standing, and which sets I think a terrible precedent for the future.

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Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Say What? GOPers Slam White House Over BP Gulf Spill Fund

Eric Kleefeld | June 17, 2010, 10:18AM

(clockwise from top left) Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN), Rush Limbaugh, Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) and Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)

BP is ponying up $20 billion for Gulf Spill oil damages. And quite a few Republicans don't like it one bit.

The Obama administration and BP seem to have come to a solution on paying for damages from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, with the $20 billion escrow account to pay out damages to claimants. And since everything that a president does will get attacked by opponents, some Republicans have come out strongly against it -- with the sum total of charges being that it will turn into a political slush fund procured through dirty Chicago thug tactics that will be paid out to ACORN.

• Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) vigorously attacked the idea: "The president just called for creating a fund that would be administered by outsiders, which would be more of a redistribution-of-wealth fund," Bachmann said on Tuesday, also adding that BP should say, "We're not going to be chumps, and we're not going to be fleeced." Bachmann later backtracked on Wednesday, saying that BP should pay for all of the damages involved, but that the fund should not be "an unending pot of money."

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