June 18, 2010 01:29 AM UTC

Joe Barton: At Least He's Not Your Craven Industry Shill

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• by: jaytee

(We should ALL be apologizing to BP. Right? Right? – promoted by Colorado Pols)

The oil-industry’s dupe congressman from Texas, Joe Barton, who apologized in the House chamber to BP for the White House’s asking the company to put up $20 billion in escrow for the victims of the Gulf disaster has apologized again. His dramatic very plain spoken theatric apology was somehow misconstrued– either that or it was too plainly understood.

“I apologize for using the term ‘shakedown’ with regard to yesterday’s actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I retract my apology to BP,” he said in his latest statement. “As I told my colleagues yesterday and said again this morning, BP should bear the full financial responsibility for the accident on their lease in the Gulf of Mexico. BP should fully compensate those families and businesses that have been hurt by this accident. BP and the federal government need to stop the leak, clean up the damage, and take whatever steps necessary to prevent a similar accident in the future.

“I regret the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident.”

Now that’s conviction.