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Yesterday, Representative John Hall (NY-19) called on his Republican challenger, Nan Hayworth, to denounce
claims made by GOP leaders of an Obama Administration "shake down" of oil giant BP.

Hall specifically asked his opponent to denounce comments made by Republican Congressman Tom Price, a
major political ally of Hayworth's. But Hayworth won't budge, and is, in fact, now echoing Price's infamous
press release, where the GOP leader rants that the administration is extorting BP and using the crisis to to
further its "liberal agenda." Is this where Hayworth begins to show her true colors, as an advocate of big
corporate interests over the pressing needs of hard-working taxpayers in her district? It seems so.

GOP Representatives Joe Barton and Price, both big backers of Big Oil, stood in BP's defense, when they
admonished the Obama Administration for making BP put $20 billion in an escrow account to help pay for
damages resulting the Gulf of Mexico catastrophe. The escrow account would protect American taxpayers from
paying for the disaster.

During Thursday's Energy and Commerce Committee hearing of BP CEO Tony Hayward, Barton, who is the
ranking Republican on the committee, called Obama's demand of an escrow account "an embarrassment" and a
"shakedown." He continued by personally apologizing to BP's Hayward.

Rep. Price's comments followed in a press release and were even worse than Barton's. While it didn't have the
news-bite worthiness of his colleague's video rant, Price's press release revealed the Congressman's blind
deference to Big Oil:

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If you read Price's press release, perhaps the biggest softball in it was the rehashing of the word "shakedown,"
so I question if Hayworth even bothered to read the release.

If she did, she would have noticed that it was nothing but a partisan screed and a wild accusation that the
administration's reaction to this crisis only serves its agenda. Even despite the use of words like "shakedown," it
still is nothing more than a series of dog-whistle messages that admonish the President for rightfully using his
office to take action and trying to control the situation. Price's release is nothing but an oil lobby-infused
defense of BP that opposes any government efforts to hold BP accountable for their economic and
environmental devastation of the Gulf.

It's no wonder that Hayworth has come to the defense of this BP apologist as her connection to Price is notable.
Rep. Price has been extremely helpful to Hayworth's campaign, including headlining her most recent fundraiser.

John Hall's campaign manager Patrick McGarrity agrees and takes the gloves off in a press release:


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Sure, and that's why all the king's horses can't put Humpty-Dumpty back together again, right Nan?
Hayworth's energy ideas are nothing but echoes of spoon-fed talking points from the oil lobby. Hayworth
begins talking like an environmentalist and mentions conservation and fossil fuel substitutes, but then she
makes a severe right turn and gushes over increased offshore drilling as a major part of her comprehensive
energy beliefs.

Hayworth's thoughts on energy sound remarkably like those BP "Beyond Petroleum" commercials that were
ubiquitous on television until two months ago. They demonstrate that she has no political independence
whatsoever, in regards to creating an energy policy. This embarassment of a GOP candidate is only parroting
tired Republican talking points that pay lip-service to alternative energies, while really touting the wishes and
paying homage to Big Oil.

Moreover, Hayworth's refusal to budge on this issue would be shameful even had this catastrophe not occurred.
But in light of recent events, Hayworth's support of a BP apologist reveals a tragic fault of her campaign. She
does not think independently, she is not considerate of taxpayers, and she will not stand up against leaders in
her party.

BP's reported willingness to go along with the White House's new fund suggests that the Obama Administration
is hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style shakedown politics.

These actions are emblematic of a politicization of our economy that has been borne out of this Administration's
drive for greater power and control. It is the same mentality that believes an economic crisis or an disaster is the
best opportunity to pursue a failed liberal agenda. The American people know much better.

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