Power corrupts
"The greater the desire for power the more likely its abuse. "
Joe Barton is a Republican politician, representing Texas During a Congressional hearing, Barton apologized to BP for the White House's investigation of the Gulf oil spill, calling it a "shakedown".
Excerpt of Barton's prepared comments:
"I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation (BP) can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case, a $20 billion shakedown...... I apologize. I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure..."
It transpired that Barton's number one career campaign contributor, Anadarko Petroleum, has 25% ownership in the well where the April BP explosion occurred. The firm, which has given Barton $146,500 over the years, has been sent a bill by BP for cleanup costs. Now there may be no connection and Barton could not have anticipated such a calamitious explosion but it shows the problems of accepting any campaign money for any Public representative.
Are all the members of the house of representatives up to their snouts in such conflicts of interest. ?
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