GOP Hiding BP and Other Oil Spill CEOs from Congress

Markey: Natural Resources Republicans Protect BP, Halliburton, Transocean, Cameron

Committee GOP Votes Down Democratic Motion to Subpoena CEOs;
Action Comes Day before Energy and Commerce Republicans Set to Subpoena White House on Solyndra

WASHINGTON (November 2, 2011) - Republicans on the Natural Resources Committee today voted to protect the CEOs of the companies responsible for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Republicans voted down a Democratic effort to compel the heads of BP, Halliburton, Transocean and Cameron to appear before the committee through a subpoena after the executives refused to testify.

"Republicans have put the CEOs from the companies responsible for the worst offshore oil spill in our history into a witness protection program, when they should be helping to produce these witnesses before the committee so they can answer questions about their spill," said Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the committee who offered the motion to subpoena the witnesses. "For these companies, CEO doesn't just mean Chief Executive Officer, it also stands for Continuing to Evade Oversight."

Rep. Markey made a motion to subpoena the witnesses at today's hearing when the witnesses did not appear in response to a request made by House Democrats. Following a call for members of the committee to appear for votes, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) issued a "motion to table", which essentially ends debate and does not allow an up-or-down vote on the subpoena. Republicans on the committee voted unanimously to protect the CEOs from testifying by a 17-13 vote, with all Democrats present voting to move forward on the subpoenas.

Even as BP and the other companies involved in the oil spill are now seeking to resume drilling operations in the Gulf, the company has still not made Mr. Robert Dudley, the company's Chief Executive Officer, available to Congress since he assumed that office following the departure of Tony Hayward. Mr. Dudley has stated that he would await the Joint Investigative Team report before he would appear before Congress. This hearing was set to be based on that report.

"It seems clear that Mr. Dudley has no intention of voluntarily appearing before Congress to answer questions about the worst environmental disaster in American history," said Rep. Markey. "These companies have a responsibility to the American people that they should not be able to avoid, and today Republicans on the committee sided with the oil companies, and not the American people."

Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have scheduled a vote Thursday morning to subpoena documents from the White House relating to the Solyndra loan guarantee default.

"Within a twenty four hour period, Republicans will vote to protect oil CEOs from testifying on a multi-billion dollar disaster where 11 men died, and then turn around and attack the White House and clean energy with politically-motivated onslaughts using the same subpoena power they scorned using against the oil industry," said Rep. Markey.

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[acepumper82]

What a pissant weak video, and ur point is????

[sethitzkan]

Excellent. Thank you.