Democrats Seize on Barton’s BP Apology

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Well, that was fast. 

After Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) apologized to BP this morning for Obama’s “shake-down” of the company, the Democratic Congressional Campaign committee hasn’t wasted any time in going on the offensive. The DCCC has already launched Facebook ads and a petition demanding that the Texas Republican retract his comments. “The DCCC will hold these out-of-touch House Republicans accountable who have no shame when it comes to jumping to the defense of Big Oil,” said DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer. Here’s the DCCC’s attack line:

GOP Congressman Joe Barton had the nerve to apologize to BP CEO Tony Hayward for the “tragedy” of holding the oil giant accountable for the devastation caused by the Gulf oil disaster. The American people must respond to this shameful display with a strong and unified voice. Add your name to the petition below:

Congressman Barton: The real tragedy is happening in the Gulf of Mexico and the communities along the Gulf Coast. Instead of apologizing to BP, we are calling on you to retract your shameful statement and apologize for standing with Big Oil at the expense of the American people.

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DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

Mother Jones was founded to do things differently in the aftermath of a political crisis: Watergate. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after, and go deep on, stories others don’t. And we’re a nonprofit newsroom because we knew corporations and billionaires would never fund the journalism we do. Our reporting makes a difference in policies and people’s lives changed.

And we need your support like never before to vigorously fight back against the existential threats American democracy and journalism face. We’re running behind our online fundraising targets and urgently need all hands on deck right now. We can’t afford to come up short—we have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

Please help with a donation today if you can—even just a few bucks helps. Not ready to donate but interested in our work? Sign up for our Daily newsletter to stay well-informed—and see what makes our people-powered, not profit-driven, journalism special.

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