Friends of the earth ask for end to big oil's influence in politics

Republicans accuse President Barack Obama of getting campaign cash  from Big Oil, but it turns out Obama isn't near the top of the list but his former rival, John McCain is, as environmentalists ask for end to Big Oil's influence in Washington.

.Open Secrets.org gives the details on where the money goes, and Friends of the Earth has made a list to let us know which politicians have the most oily hands.  At the same time, this organization joins others in asking that undue influence of Big Oil in Washington come to an end.

On the state level, Big Oil has figured big in Louisiana politics, with Governor Bobby Jindal the largest recipient of its largesse, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.  Jindal, as Governor of Louisiana, has received more money than the President of the United States when Jindal ran for office in 2007.

“We all know money talks, and in the last two election cycles alone, the oil and gas industries spent $48,401,891 to curry influence in Washington. Congress has been corrupted by this dirty money,” said Friends of the Earth’s president, Erich Pica. “This corruption has inhibited the transition to clean energy and produced the dangerous drilling policies that led to the disaster in the Gulf. Each and every member of Congress who has accepted this tainted money is part of the problem. All elected officials who have taken oil money should turn it over to organizations doing recovery work in the Gulf.”

“Corporate influence in Washington has become so overwhelming that the ability of our government to function in the public interest is now in question,” Pica added. “Members of Congress need to make clear whether they think they’re representatives in an oil-igarchy or a democracy. If they are committed to democracy, they must give this money back, stop doing corporate polluters’ bidding and start acting in the public interest.”

Friends of the earth said that the organization's campaign to end Big Oil's influence in Washington applies to all members of Congress who have taken oil money, but the focus is specifically on the top five House and top five Senate members who have taken the most money from BP in the last few years.

Friends of the Earth now asks these politicans to contribute the money they received to the Gulf Coast Fund to help the region most impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  Senator John McCain of Arizona ranks at #1 in receipt of money from Big Oil:’

The “BP Ten” are:

Senate

·         John McCain (R-AZ, $36,649 from BP and $2,428,287 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Mary Landrieu (D-LA, $16,200 from BP and $329,100 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Mark Begich (D-AK, $8,550 from BP and $85,958 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Lisa Murkowski (R-AK, $8,500 from BP and $223,326 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Mitch McConnell (R-KY, $8,500 from BP and $408,400 from Big Oil since 2006)

House

·         John Culberson (R-TX, $10,200 from BP and $187,350 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Ron Paul (R-TX, $7,300 from BP and $134,132 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Charles Rangel (D-NY, $6,500 from BP and $40,600 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Steny Hoyer (D-MD, $6,000 from BP and $91,800 from Big Oil since 2006)

·         Don Young (R-AK, $5,500 from BP and $45,500 from Big Oil since 2006)