Palin’s False Petro-Bravery

[Joanne98]

Once again the Republicans are fielding a national ticket with deep connections to the oil industry. Sarah Palin, Governor of the oiliest state in the nation, is a vocal proponent of drilling in the Arctic Refuge, supports more drilling offshore, opposes the listing of the polar bear as an endangered species, and perhaps most disturbingly, is still a denier of global warming.


Maybe her selection is what Big Oil demanded in return for the millions in campaign contributions (so far) to John McCain. Not to mention the fact that more than three quarters of all oil industry donations this cycle have gone to Republicans (down from more than 80% in the last two elections).

Republican spin-meisters have been everywhere today pointing out that Palin bravely supported an increase in taxes on the oil industry in the wake of the VECO scandal - as if this was evidence of her willingness to speak truth to power.

Please.

By the time Palin made her move, in November 2007, the jig, as they say, was already up.

On August 31, 2006, the FBI and the IRS served search warrants on members of the Alaska State Legislature

On May 7, 2007, VECO CEO Bill Allen and Vice President for Community & Government Affairs Rick Smith plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Anchorage to charges of extortion, bribery, and conspiracy to impede the Internal Revenue Service.

It wasn’t until November 16, 2007, more than a year after the initial warrants were served in the VECO case, that the bill to impose new taxes on the oil industry passed the Alaska legislature with Palin’s support. But she had to do it. Even Governor Palin admits that she had to support the bill in order to “restore public trust in our oil and gas value system.”

Alaska Democrats, on the other hand, credit the FBI. “In a very odd sense, the FBI helped us finally fix our oil tax and finally get our fair share,” says state Rep. Les Gara.

Maybe McCain should have picked the FBI agents in charge of the case? Except that they probably weren’t wolf killing creationists which apparently are two constituencies he felt the need to shore up.

http://oilchangeusa.org/2008/08/29/palins-petro-connections/