An independent research group has analyzed oil industry contributions to Congress, and figures that President Obama is staring down a $12 million barrel of political opposition on Keystone XL. Some of that is going out in huge chunks — 16 Republican House members and one Democrat have received $100,000 or more in contributions from the oil lobby, and lo and behold, the representatives are all voting just the way their evil overlords would like them to. But the industry is also spreading the wealth around. A total of 118 House members list the oil and gas industry among their top 10 contributors, and most of them are toeing the line as well.
[Research group] Maplight found only two of the 118 members of the House of Representatives who list oil and gas industry among their top 10 campaign contributors opposed fast-tracking the pipeline. The two hold-outs were Ed Markey, the Massachusetts Democrat who headed the global warming committee that has since been disbanded by the Republican leadership in the house, and Charlie Bass, a New Hampshire Republican.
Only 10 of the 195 members of the House of Representatives who list the oil and gas industry among their top 20 contributors opposed the bill. In all, the oil and gas industry has given nearly $12m in direct contributions to members of Congress in the last two years, Maplight said.
That means it's really worth House members' time to push through Keystone XL approval, and cockblock any attempts to analyze or ameliorate its environmental effects. But, you know, it's all about jobs! Really!
Here's the Guardian's list of House members getting $100,000 or more from oil and gas interests, along with their votes on fast-tracking Keystone XL approval (spoiler: they all voted in favor).
1 – Rep. Steven Pearce [Republican] / AYE / $370,020
2 – Rep. Mike Pompeo [R] / AYE / $333,156
3 – Rep. Bill Flores [R] / AYE / $266,184
4 – Rep. Cory Gardner [R] / AYE / $205,124
5 – Rep. Dan Boren [D] / AYE / $201,800
6 – Rep. John Sullivan [R] / AYE / $179,200
7 – Rep. Jeff Landry [R] / AYE / $176,050
8 – Rep. Tim Griffin [R] / AYE / $164,709
9 – Rep. James Lankford [R] / AYE / $156,760
10 – Rep. Rick Berg [R] / AYE / $151,561
11 – Rep. Michael Conaway [R] / AYE / $136,850
12 – Rep. Tim Murphy [R] / AYE / $133,700
13 – Rep. Dennis Rehberg [R] / AYE / $133,152
14 – Rep. Steve Scalise [R] / AYE / $125,335
15 – Rep. Francisco Canseco [R] / AYE / $121,767
16 – Rep. Pete Olson [R] – AYE – $106,400
17 – Rep. Tom Cole [R] / AYE / $103,400
Update: An earlier version of this post had "anti-Keystone" in the headline because, I don't know, I'm an idiot? Anyway, PRO.
