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$2,228,995 Goes a Long Way with Some Members |
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How much does it cost for big oil to buy a publicity stunt like this?
Republicans staged a revolt on the House floor yesterday to protest the lack of a vote on opening more land to oil drilling — but this particular revolution was not televised.
On the last day of the session before a five-week break, several dozen GOP lawmakers took to the floor shortly after the House adjourned and essentially refused to leave for more than five hours, even after — as is customary during an adjournment — the television cameras were turned off, the microphones were silenced and the lights were extinguished. No one occupied the speaker’s chair, nor were any clerks or parliamentarians present to steer the pseudo-debate.
Apparently it is somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.3 million. This is how much the 48 representatives participating on Friday have raised so far from the oil and gas industries in the 2006 and 2008 electoral cycles. We expect this number to climb considerably in the coming months. If that isn’t quid pro quo, I don’t know what is. Details for each Rep. in the table below. All data via Open Secrets
| Republican House Member | 2006 | 2008 |
| Rep. Lynn Westmoreland | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. John Boehner | $65,000 | $0 |
| Rep. Adam Putnam | $0 | $20,000 |
| Rep. Roy Blunt | $87,300 | $98,900 |
| Rep. Louie Gohmert | $76,700 | $29,850 |
| Rep. Tom Price | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Mike Pence | $30,000 | $0 |
| Rep. John Shadegg | $21,775 | $22,000 |
| Rep. Ted Poe | $43,450 | $24,200 |
| Rep. John Campbell | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Duncan Hunter | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. John Shimkus | $27,850 | $31,750 |
| Rep. Bill Sali | $10,500 | $32,500 |
| Rep. Charlie Dent | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. John Carter | $29,350 | $18,550 |
| Rep. Thaddeus McCotter | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Shelley Moore Capito | $66,700 | $47,250 |
| Rep. Michael Burgess | $32,446 | $53,700 |
| Rep. Tim Walberg | $0 | $13,050 |
| Rep. Jeff Fortenberry | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Virginia Foxx | $16,750 | $7,500 |
| Rep. Eric Cantor $0 $44,600 | $0 | $44,600 |
| Rep. Steve King | $0 | $12,500 |
| Rep. Pete Hoekstra | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Mike Conaway | $94,500 | $113,500 |
| Rep. Dan Lungren | $15,000 | $11,000 |
| Rep. Don Manzullo | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Adrian Smith | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Devin Nunes | $24,000 | $29,000 |
| Rep. Michael Turner | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Paul Broun | Didn’t Run | $13,250 |
| Rep. Greg Walden | $27,200 | $0 |
| Rep. Tom Cole | $86,096 | $51,100 |
| Rep. Kevin Brady | $43,500 | $38,500 |
| Rep. Wally Herger | $9,000 | $0 |
| Rep. Kevin McCarthy | $38,550 | $16,000 |
| Rep. John Boozman | $0 | $4,300 |
| Rep. Jon Porter | $50,562 | $39,800 |
| Rep. Henry Brown | $11,000 | $15,550 |
| Rep. Mary Fallin | $169,950 | $79,950 |
| Rep. Mike Rogers (MI) | $31,700 | $23,950 |
| Rep. Rob Bishop | $8,500 | $5,100 |
| Rep. Brian Bilbray | $20,300 | $8,550 |
| Rep. Todd Platts | $5,000 | $4,000 |
| Rep. Joe Wilson | $0 | $0 |
| Rep. Chip Pickering | $43,659 | $43,300 |
| Rep. Gus Bilirakis | $0 | $17,100 |
| Rep. John Culberson | $53,700 | $18,657 |
| Total Oil and Gas Contributions | $1,240,038 | $988,957 |
Over the course of his soon-to-be-over Congressional career, Adam Putanm has taken $70,300.00 from Big Oil. You wouldn’t think a 34-year-old multi-millionaire could be bought for such a relatively low amount.
Indeed, some of these guys are cheaper than they let on.