House Republicans have threatened to hold up the payroll tax extension until Obama approves the pipeline. | Credit: Jay Mallin
“We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that this Keystone pipeline is in fact approved,” said House Speaker John Boehner on Fox News. | Credit: Jay Mallin
Keystone friendly members of Congress have received $41 million in contributions from Big Oil. | Credit: Jay Mallin
350.org founder (and Grist board member) Bill McKibben called on Congress to keep dirty money out politics. | Credit: Jay Mallin
Oil companies receive between $4 billion and $41 billion every year in subsidies. | Credit: Photo by Jay Mallin
“The most profitable corporations in the world do not need subsidies from the American people,” said Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). “We need to end Big Oil subsidies and tax breaks, and I'm going to introduce legislation to do it.” | Credit: Josh Lopez/350.org
Lili Molina, environmental justice director of the Energy Action Coaltion, spoke at the rally. | Credit: Jay Mallin
The green movement is the underdog when up against Big Oil's piles of cash. But the fact that the Keystone XL was thrown out shows that sometimes keeping your eye on the game can make all the difference. | Credit: Jay Mallin

Party fouls: Blowing the whistle on Congress oil corruption [SLIDESHOW]

By Grist staff on Jan 25, 2012

Obama may have slapped down the Keystone XL pipeline, but Republicans in Congress don’t mind playing dirty to make sure Big Oil scores again. On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters called foul on Congress and Big Oil and demanded that they quit trying to win the game in overtime.