Public Campaign Action Fund - Big Oil

Pumped Full of Cash

Katie Schlieper — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:48:06 +0000

The oil industry is reporting record profits as consumers empty their wallets at the pump, so why is Senator John McCain (R-AZ) suddenly backing policies like offshore oil drilling that do nothing to help gas prices today (or the environment tomorrow), but stand to make Big Oil a handsome profit down the road? Public Campaign Action Fund's Campaign Money Watch project released a new report today that sheds some light on McCain's energy policy decisions, and what they have to do with the money from the oil industry that has filled his campaign coffers.

It Ain't Easy Taking Green

Katie Schlieper — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:58:34 +0000

Public Campaign Action Fund's project, Campaign Money Watch, has been doing extensive research into Senator John McCain's (R) recent reversal on the offshore oil drilling ban, and what a flood of contributions from the oil industry may have had to do with it. A couple of other organizations have picked up the thread and joined the effort to get an answer on whether campaign contributions from Big Oil are effecting McCain's policy decisions.

Tokens of Appreciation

Katie Schlieper — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:45:52 +0000

The Washington Post is doing a series all this week on the oil situation: rising demand, rising prices, environmental concerns, the whole messy debacle. Right next to the first article in that series was this piece about some fishy timing around Sen. John McCain's (R) reversal on the offshore oil drilling ban, and an influx of campaign contributions from the oil industry.

Big, Bad Oil

Katie Schlieper — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:22:00 +0000

Experts will tell you that it would be years before American consumers would seen any benefit from the proposed offshore oil drilling President Bush is attempting to push through Congress. So why is Senator John McCain (R) pushing the idea on the campaign trail as a solution to rising gas prices? ThinkProgress speculates on McCain's change of heart -- and the money he's taking in from the oil and gas industry.

Block It Any Way You Can

Katie Schlieper — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:22:38 +0000

Wait, is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) combating legislation to create new carbon emission standards because it'll hurt oil company profits, or is he fighting the bill as a political maneuver to get revenge for Democrats holding up judicial nominations? When fighting legislation to make corporate interests happy, it's so hard to keep those flimsy excuses straight.

Here We Go Again

Katie Schlieper — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:25:56 +0000

Gear up for Big Oil vs. The Earth: Part 8 Bajillion. Congress is getting ready to push new, bipartisan legislation requiring new caps on industrial emissions, but President Bush and Big Oil, drawing the cloak of "economic hardship" firmly about themselves, are vowing to kill the bill. When facing a choice between corporate profits and...the earth and all its inhabitants, it's good to know our leaders have their priorities straight.

Beating the Oil Drum

Katie Schlieper — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:16:30 +0000

Derrick Jackson of the Boston Globe marvels at the irony of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama attacking oil and gas companies for skyrocketing prices while taking thousands in campaign contributions from these same companies. Campaign cash from the oil industry keeps presidential and congressional campaigns alike churning -- it's no wonder debate about their policies seems so conflicted.

Picking Your Pocket

Katie Schlieper — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:08:57 +0000

Good news drivers of the world! That small fortune you've been handing over every time you buy a tank of gas has reached those most in need: Big Oil. Exxon reports a record $10.7 billion profit this quarter, beating their previous third-quarter record by nearly a billion. Guess they'll have even more cash on hand to pour into campaign coffers this year on top of the $400,000+ they've already given.*

Give and Bear It

Katie Schlieper — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:56:06 +0000

You think you have trouble getting Congress to pay attention to your problems? Try being a polar bear. Yeah, polar bears are cute and if a bear has the good fortune to be born in a Berlin zoo lots of teenage girls will line up to take his picture and purchase t-shirts bearing his likeness but for the average bear hunting seals in Alaska, the outlook is grim. And his congressional representation isn’t helping.

Big Oil Ads Get Notice

Katie Schlieper — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 13:57:10 +0000

Noelle Straub at the Helena Independent Record notes the work of Public Campaign Action Fund and our Campaign Money Watch project in spotlighting our ad that outlines Senator Conrad Burns' ties to Big Oil and the campaign cash he's received from the industry. The ad is no longer on the air, but you can check it out here.