BP Enjoys Lobbying Strength, Close Ties to Lawmakers as Federal Investigation Looms (Open Secrets)

[chill_wind]

BP Enjoys Lobbying Strength, Close Ties to Lawmakers as Federal Investigation Looms
By Cassandra LaRussa on April 30, 2010 3:14 PM


On Thursday, oil giant BP asked for U.S. government assistance in cleaning up massive amounts of crude oil ominously approaching the coast of Louisiana -- the messy results of a recent oil rig explosion 40 miles off-shore.

In response, the Obama administration promised support in both clean up and containment of the environmental crisis. The president also sent clear signals indicating a potential federal investigation to determine cause and responsibility for the accident.

If BP faces heavy federal scrutiny, it's well-positioned to fight back: The London-based company has consistently spent top dollar to influence legislative and regulatory activity in Washington, D.C., the Center for Responsive Politics finds.

During the 2008 election cycle, individuals and political action committees associated with BP -- a Center for Responsive Politics' "heavy hitter" -- contributed half a million dollars to federal candidates. About 40 percent of these donations went to Democrats. The top recipient of BP-related donations during the 2008 cycle was President Barack Obama himself, who collected $71,000.

BP regularly lobbies on Capitol Hill, as well. In 2009, the company spent a massive $16 million to influence legislation. During the first quarter of 2010, it spent $3.53 million on federal lobbying efforts, ranking it second (behind ConocoPhillips) among all oil and gas industry interests.

Its registered lobbyists include a number of former federal government and high-ranking political campaign officials, including longtime political operative Tony Podesta, former congressional chief of staff Bob Brooks, former congressional legislative director David Pore and vice presidential aide Michael S. Berman, the Center's research shows.

The oil and gas industry, of which BP is a member, reported $169 million in 2009 lobbying expenditures.

Comparatively, the entire environmental movement spent $22 million on lobbying in 2009 - not much more than BP alone spent for the year. The most active member of the environmental industry, the Nature Conservancy, reported $2.2 million in 2009 expenditures. Last year, BP was active lobbying on the American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009, which allows increased oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico, in areas closer to shore than current law allows.

The bill also calls for additional research and inventory of oil and gas reserves in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), who has received $14,000 in campaign donations during the past two decades from those associated with BP, the Center finds.

In 2009, BP also lobbied on the Oil Spill Prevention Act of 2009 and the Clean Water Restoration Act.

The oil spill, which has yet to be remedied, was caused by an explosion on a BP-leased oil rig on April 20.

A state of emergency has since been enacted in Louisiana, and the White House has designated it an event of "national significance." The oil well is reportedly leaking between 1,000 and 5,000 barrels a day, and rescue crews are trying to eliminate the oil by setting it on fire, breaking it up with chemicals and skimming it off the surface of the ocean. Already, questions are being asked about cause and responsibility.

Upon hearing the cry for help in the Gulf of Mexico, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Cal.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, called for a "full blown investigation."

In 2009, individuals and political action committees associated with BP donated $16,000 to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

In addition, five of the all-time top 10 recipients of BP money in the House of Representatives sit on the House Energy Committee: John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) Joe Barton (R-Tex.), Ralph M. Hall (R-Tex.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Fred Upton, (R-Mich.).

All have received upward of $13,000 from BP-related individuals and political action committees during the past two decades. Dingell, the second most favored recipient of BP money in the House, has received $31,000.

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/04/on-thursday-oil-giant-bp.html

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

[FBI_Un_Sub]

1. BP DOLLARS TO BERKELEY

BP established and funds the bio-fuels program at UC Berkeley.

[chill_wind]

2. Oil & Gas Top Recipients

(not just BP)

2010

1 Lincoln, Blanche (D-AR) Senate $265,650
2 Vitter, David (R-LA) Senate $225,300
3 Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK) Senate $203,326
4 White, Bill (D-TX) $199,903
5 Jones, Elizabeth Ames (R-TX) $157,350
6 Bennett, Robert F (R-UT) Senate $131,150
7 Specter, Arlen (D-PA) Senate $125,300
8 Cornyn, John (R-TX) Senate $124,625
9 Edwards, Chet (D-TX) House $110,530
10 Barton, Joe (R-TX) House $103,570
11 Conaway, Mike (R-TX) House $101,350
12 Dorgan, Byron L (D-ND) Senate $95,450
13 Blunt, Roy (R-MO) House $94,100
14 Coburn, Tom (R-OK) Senate $93,800
15 Pearce, Steve (R-NM) $89,100
16 Boren, Dan (D-OK) House $88,850
17 Hoeven, John (R-ND) $84,250
18 Williams, Roger (R-TX) $83,150
19 Thune, John (R-SD) Senate $82,940
20 Cantor, Eric (R-VA) House $82,200

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?cycle=2010&ind=E01



METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are based on contributions from PACs and individuals giving $200 or more. All donations took place during the 2009-2010 election cycle and were released by the Federal Election Commission on Sunday, April 25, 2010.


2008

1 McCain, John (R) Senate $2,403,437
2 Obama, Barack (D) Senate $898,251
3 Cornyn, John (R-TX) Senate $667,850
4 Giuliani, Rudolph W (R) $609,358
5 Romney, Mitt (R) $504,094
6 Pearce, Steve (R-NM) House $470,832
7 McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) Senate $400,900
8 Clinton, Hillary (D-NY) Senate $381,742
9 Inhofe, James M (R-OK) Senate $365,200
10 Landrieu, Mary L (D-LA) Senate $272,250
11 Schaffer, Bob (R-CO) $246,850
12 Dole, Elizabeth (R-NC) Senate $230,917
13 Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) Senate $222,350
14 Richardson, Bill (D) $220,875
15 Barton, Joe (R-TX) House $219,490
16 Roberts, Pat (R-KS) Senate $203,700
17 Wicker, Roger (R-MS) Senate $200,200
18 Thompson, Fred (R) $196,704
19 Boren, Dan (D-OK) House $185,950
20 Coleman, Norm (R-MN) Senate $174,900



METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are based on contributions from PACs and individuals giving $200 or more. All donations took place during the 2007-2008 election cycle and were released by the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday, May 12, 2009.

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=E01&cycle=2008&recipdetail=A&mem=Y&sortorder=U


BP 2010 Top Recipients

Senate Conway, Jack $9,600
Senate Murkowski, Lisa $7,000
Senate Lincoln, Blanche $4,000
Senate Burr, Richard $2,000
House Culberson, John $2,000
Senate Dorgan, Byron L $2,000
Senate Isakson, Johnny $2,000
House Rangel, Charles B $2,000
House Shimkus, John M $2,000
House Upton, Fred $2,000
House McCaul, Michael $1,500
House Hamos, Julie $1,400
Senate Brown, Scott P $1,250
Senate Jackson, Cheryle $1,050
House Barton, Joe $1,000
Senate Bennet, Michael F $1,000
House Biggert, Judy $1,000
Senate Bingaman, Jeff $1,000
House Boehner, John $1,000
House Boren, Dan $1,000

(See all recipients)

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/toprecips.php?id=D000000091&cycle=2010

BP 2008 Top Recipients

Senate Obama, Barack $71,051
Senate McCain, John $36,649
Senate Landrieu, Mary L $16,200
Senate Stevens, Ted $10,150
Senate Begich, Mark $8,550
Senate McConnell, Mitch $8,500
House Culberson, John $8,200
Senate Clinton, Hillary $6,700
House Skelly, Michael Peter $6,614
Senate Lunsford, Bruce $6,600
House Paul, Ron $6,300
House Hoyer, Steny H $5,000
House Pearce, Steve $5,000
Senate Chambliss, Saxby $4,500
Senate Cornyn, John $4,500
House Rangel, Charles B $4,500
House Young, Don $4,500
House Blunt, Roy $4,000
House Boehner, John $4,000
House Dingell, John D $4,000

(See all recipients)


Based on data released by the FEC on April 25, 2010.
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/toprecips.php?id=D000000091&type=P&sort=A&cycle=2008


Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks,

[avaistheone1]

3. "The top recipient of BP-related donations during the 2008 cycle was President Barack Obama

himself,"

IBID

[chill_wind]

4. True, but overall Gramps

had him beat by a long-shot.

[WhiteTara]

5. I called Blanche today

they could care less that she is a criminal. All they can think about is their paycheck and dinner at whatever little hot spot they have to go to. I told them that she killed the world for a a quarter of million dollars. WHat a cheap date.

damn typos!

[chill_wind]

7. Good on you! "What a cheap date".

:thumbsup:

[amborin]

6. $77K to Obama's campaign.....