The Fix - Democrats on Joe Barton’s oil spill comments: ‘It’s not the end of this’
Democrats have been quick to seize upon the remarks as indicative of Republicans’ lack of empathy for those affected by the spill and the party’s ties to the oil industry.
White House press secretary Bill Burton told reporters aboard Air Force One today that Burton’s response was “an example of what some folks in the Republican Party truly believe…[that] BP was the wronged party.”
Van Hollen echoed that in his appearance today, arguing that Barton “is not just any Republican,” and that he “doesn’t stand alone” in his position.
“So you’ve got the guy who’s in charge of the House energy policy for the Republicans, and you’ve got a huge number of members of his caucus feeling the same way,” Van Hollen added. (Barton is the highest ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.)