Oil and Gas in Abundance in Washington

[Robbien]

WASHINGTON, Jul 28 (IPS) - Much scrutiny of the ongoing U.S. presidential race has focussed on the personal fortunes amassed by President George W Bush and his challenger Senator John Kerry. But millions of dollars from other sources are also at play behind the scenes, including from major actors in the U.S. oil and gas industry.

Leading the way is privately-held Koch Industries, which has contributed more than half a million dollars in the 2004 election cycle, and just under 5..5 million dollars to election campaigns since 1989, 90 percent of that money going to members of Bush's Republican Party, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics, a research group here that tracks campaign contributions.

"Koch has enjoyed significant entrées into politics, specifically Republican administrations, over the years," said the centre's research director, Sheila Krumholz, in an interview with IPS.

According to a recent report by another Washington-based group, the Centre for Public Integrity, the oil and gas industry has spent more than 440 million dollars since 1998 on campaign contributions and lobbying.

http://www.oneworld.net/article/view/90857/1/

[TahitiNut]

1. Isn't it nice to know that some of the money we spend on gasoline, oil,

... natural gas, home heating oil, and even electricity is being funneled into the pockets of Rethuglican fatcats working to reduce our income and increase our share of the taxes??

[izzie]

2. And when they run out of gas they will be back into Banking,

Their true field.