Earlier today President Obama challenged Congress to either stand with Big Oil, or stand with the American people. A vote on legislation introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) that would have eliminated over $2.4 billion in annual tax deductions to the top 5 oil companies was subsequently defeated a few hours later. Once again Congress … Read More
Separate Oil and State
Keystone Stopped (again), but Not For Want of Trying
The U.S. Senate has rejected the most recent attempt to go forward with the Keystone XL pipeline, but the 56 senators who voted for the Keystone XL amendment have received 500% more money from oil interests in the current Congress than those who voted no.
Keystone XL benefits from taxpayer subsidies
 Sen. Mitch McConnell claimed recently that the Keystone XL Pipeline “doesn’t require a penny of our taxpayer money all the president has to do is approve it.” But our research reveals many places that the pipeline project benefits from taxpayer subsidies. The refineries that are linked to the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline as committed … Read More
The Best Bill Oil Money Can Buy
Earlier today, forty-four Senators introduced legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. This bill would would approve the Keystone XL pipeline despite the Obama Administration’s rejection of its permit following months of intensifying protest against it and numerous studies revealing its vastly inflated economic impact. Our colleagues at Public Campaign and 350.org revealed that those … Read More
One Dollar In, Fifty-Nine Out
You can SHARE this infographic on Facebook. What if you were in Vegas, and a friend told you there was a slot machine in the corner that was giving out $59 for every $1 that was put in? You’d think the machine was broken, and that it was rigged. What if an investment advisor told … Read More
Blowing the whistle on Dirty Energy Money
On Tuesday, January 24, as Washington readies for the annual State of the Union address, more than 500 people in referee outfits are converging on Capitol Hill to “blow the whistle” on Congress. Why? Â Consider these two facts: 1. The American people believe (rightly) that Members of Congress are more responsive to their campaign donors … Read More
Keystone XL and Dirty Energy Money
This morning the Guardian carried a story from Maplight about the influence of oil money over the July vote in the House of Representatives on the Keystone XL pipeline.  It’s a classic story about the influence of campaign money over policy that will surprise few but bears repeating often. We ran a similar story about … Read More
Big Oil Threatens President Obama
 By Brendan Demelle, DeSmogBlog American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard today announced the oil and gas industry’s latest election-year scare campaign to threaten the demise of the U.S. economy unless Big Oil gets its every wish in Washington. This year the wish list includes approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, expanded offshore drilling on both … Read More
Mitch McConnell Stands Up for Big Oil, Holding Middle Class Tax Cuts Hostage
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced today that he will hold the extension of middle class tax cuts hostage unless an unrelated provision about the Keystone XL oil pipeline project is included—a major handout to his Big Oil donors that could leave millions of Americans facing a tax increase in the new year. So, … Read More
“Gas & Oil Party” passes Keystone XL poison pill
Yesterday, Republicans and a few Democrats defied a veto threat from President Obama and passed a bill extending a cut in Social Security payroll taxes which also would fast track a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline and give polluters a variety of other gifts. Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, said the Republicans … Read More