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Barton Enrages His Own Party By Apologizing To BP

By Shelley Kofler, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-908173.mp3

Dallas, TX – Texas Republican Joe Barton of Ennis is backpedaling after enraging the White House and some fellow-republicans. KERA's Shelley Kofler says the firestorm hit after Barton apologized to BP during a Congressional hearing Thursday.

Barton stunned a subcommittee as members prepared to question BP CEO Tony Hayward.

Barton told Hayward he was ashamed of the White House for forcing BP to set up the $20 billion fund that will compensate victims of the oil spill. Barton called it a "slush fund" and a "shakedown".

Barton: I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation could be subject to what I would characterize as a shakedown. In this case a $20 billion shakedown.

Then Barton told BP's Hayward: "I apologize."

Barton's own Republican colleagues were furious. Congressman Jeff Miller from Florida called Barton "out of touch with this tragedy." Miller demanded Barton step down from his leadership position as ranking republican of the energy and commerce committee.

Republican leaders including House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio issued a statement saying Barton was "wrong."

The White House called Barton's BP apology "shameful" and said he "seems to have more concern for big corporations that caused this disaster" than for the communities devastated by the gushing oil.

As the backlash grew Barton issued an apology for the apology to BP and said: "BP should bear the full financial responsibility for the accident."

Barton has long had a reputation for defending the oil and gas industry in Washington. In the past week Barton has argued for lifting the administration's six month moratorium on new deepwater gas drilling leases.

Email Shelley Kofler