Representative Joe L. Barton (R-TX) pauses as he asks a question of British Petroleum chief executive Tony Hayward. Barton, a major recipient of campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, triggered an uproar with a lengthy apology to Hayward for British Petroleum having to set aside $20 billion for Gulf of Mexico damage claims, drawing ridicule from Dimocrats and embarrassing Repuglicans as he described a White House “shakedown” of British Petroleum. He later retracted his apology to British Petroleum. |
