I Object

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Inspired by Oil-Spill Panel Pushes for Subpoena Power (Wall Street Journal 9/28/10), Lack Of Subpoena Power Hinders Oil Spill Probe -Panel (Dow Jones via FoxNews.com 9/28/10), and Push to empower Obama’s spill panel fails again (International Business Times 9/30/10).

“Resistance to providing complete answers to commission investigators is coming from various of the parties that were involved in and responsible for different aspects of the rig operation.” — Bipartisan Presidential Commission  Co-Chair William Reilly

 

“If we don’t get subpoena power until the lame-duck session, which may be six, eight weeks from now, we will have lost an enormous amount of our ability to complete a full report within the time frame.” –  Bipartisan Presidential Commission Co-Chair Bob Graham

 

“While the commission is getting to the bottom of how this catastrophe happened, BP and other companies involved with the spill are still giving it the runaround. Senate Republicans need to stop providing cover for Big Oil, and pass my bill giving the commission subpoena power so it can report back to the President by the January deadline with all the facts that led to this environmental and economic catastrophe. Without this critical tool – which the co-chairmen have asked for – Big Oil will keep stonewalling the investigation in the hopes they can escape being held accountable for their mistakes. The American people deserve a full accounting and that’s what the Senate Republicans obstruction is preventing. This bill passed the House almost unanimously, and Senate Republicans won’t even let it come to the floor. They should be embarrassed.” — Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA)

 

“On behalf of other members of the Republican Conference, I object.” – Sen. Jim DeMint

We’re sorry Dems were mean to you,

Republicans told BP with indignation.

Now, they’re trying to make BP feel better

By blocking the bipartisan investigation.

An independent bipartisan commission

Is investigating the causes of the spill.

But because witnesses aren’t cooperating,

Progress is standing still.

They need subpoena power,

The Commission’s Republican co-chair said.

Otherwise, the Commission’s work

Won’t be able to move ahead.

The House passed a bill in favor

With only one vote in opposition.

All they needed was Senate approval

To give some teeth to the Commission.

Senate Republicans have

Blocked the move four times,

Making them complicit

In BP’s environmental crimes.

What are they trying to help

BP and its contractors hide?

Could the GOP’s action

With campaign contributions coincide?

”On behalf of other members of the Republican Conference, I object,”

Senator DeMint stated,

Emasculating the Commission

Which Obama had created.

What better example could there be

That the GOP is bought and sold

By Big Oil and other business interests

By which it’s controlled.

The GOP’s always willing

To help its friends out in a pinch,

But for the rest of us,

Unwilling to give an inch.

How bravely they do battle

For their Big Oil friends,

While a group of anonymous “other members”

Their corporate masters defends.

So sorry Senator DeMint,

But you’re incorrect:

I and millions of other American

Are the ones who object.

***

Here’s Hardball’s and 9/29/10 reports on GOP covering up for BP by objecting to granting subpoena power to the independent presidential commission investigating the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

 

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Tags: BP, Chris Matthews, Environment, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, hypocrisy, Party of No, Republicans
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