Big Oil Buys Influence in Washington, Crafting Legislation that Adds to the Industry's Record Profits

Interview with Bob Williams, director of the Politics of Oil Project at the Center for Public Integrity, conducted by Scott Harris

As the price of gasoline and heating oil skyrocketed over the past year, frustrated consumers are wondering if the big oil company's record profits have been made at their expense. Increased international demand for oil products that has pushed up the price of crude in world markets is offered as one explanation, but some industry analysts have growing suspicions that big energy companies may be engaged in price gouging.

While those charges have yet to be proven, there is no doubt that the big oil companies have bought enormous influence in Washington through millions of dollars spent on campaign contributions and lobbying. A recent study conducted by the Center for Public Integrity found that the oil industry has spent more than $380 million dollars on lobbying activities since 1998, working primarily to influence the development of a new national energy policy and gain tax breaks. The industry also gave over $67 million in campaign contributions to candidates since 1998, providing Republicans with over 73 percent of those funds.

President Bush, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and House Speaker Dennis Hastert are among the biggest recipients of oil company largesse. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Bob Williams, director of the Politics of Oil Project at the Center for Public Integrity, who discusses the power and influence of big oil in U.S. politics.

Contact the Center for Public Integrity by calling (202) 466-1300 or visit their website at www.publicintegrity.org

Related links:

Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project - www.citizen.org/cmep

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:

www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
betweenthelines-AT-snet.net
*
www.squeakywheel.net/
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions
©2005 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.