Rep. "Smokey Joe" Barton is unethical! (no one is surprised, right?)

[sonias]

Dallas Morning News 2/3/10
U.S. Rep. Joe Barton's gas well stake raises ethical questions

WASHINGTON – Rep. Joe Barton has earned nearly $100,000 from an interest in natural gas wells that he purchased from a longtime campaign donor who also advised the congressman on energy policy, according to interviews and records.

At a hearing last month of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Barton said he was "a small, small partner in a natural gas well in Johnson County in the Barnett Shale that is probably my 4-year-old son's college education." He later told a reporter that he couldn't remember precisely how he obtained the interest.

Land records show that Barton, R-Arlington, purchased his interest from Walter G. Mize, a Cleburne businessman who donated more than $30,000 to Barton's campaigns.
(snip)
Barton's interest could become controversial at a time when Congress is considering sweeping energy legislation that would boost demand for natural gas. Congressional experts say such deals raise ethical questions for lawmakers, who are expected by the public to maintain a firewall between their personal finances and official duties.

Texas Observer Forrest for the Trees blog 2/4/10
Smokey Joe Barton’s Sweet Little Gas Deal

I love it! Rep. "Smokey" Joe Barton (R-Tx) can't recall how he got a lucrative interest in natural gas wells just two years ago. It's an odd memory lapse considering that it he received it as a gift from a close friend and long-time political contributor not long before the man died. The Dallas Morning News has the goods:

(snip)
Let's read between the lines here.

1) Barton lets it slip during a committee hearing that he has a "small, small" interest in one of the industries that his committee oversees.

2) The DMN reporter follows up by asking Barton for more information on the interest. Barton can't "remember" the details.

3) The reporter does some enterprise reporting and finds out that Barton actually acquired the interest from Mize, a friend and political contributor who Barton credits for coming up with a taxpayer-funded research program for the oil and gas industry.

4) Barton refuses to disclose the actual sale price, making it impossible for the public to know whether he got a below-market sweetheart deal.

Smokey Joe stinks up the people's house in Congress. Of course he's unethical. He's a Republican! :puke:

Sonia

[hobbit709]

1. You got it. Unethical and Republican are interchangeable terms.

[white cloud]

2. "Smokey" Joe Barton (R-Tx) can't recall

"Smokey" Joe Barton (R-Tx) can't recall how he got a lucrative interest in natural gas wells just two years ago. It's an odd memory lapse considering that it he received it as a gift from a close friend and long-time political contributor not long before the man died


LOL

[tanyev]

3. Maybe he's got so many lucrative interests out there he just can't keep track of them all.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

4. He's a disgrace to us, just like Louie Goomber.

I'm sorry to say that Barton is my congresscretin.

GAK.

[sonias]

5. I feel for you

I was once trapped under the representation of a Texas Republican congress critter - Lamer Smith. And man did it suck - big time.

Adopt another Democratic Congressman in Texas and have him/her represent you. That's what I did during my time of imprisonment. I considered Lloyd Doggett my Congressman in exile. Lucky for me, the stars aligned themselves correctly and allowed me to be represented by him for real, once again. True story. I love my Congressman Doggett.

He has room in his heart for you too.

:hug:

Sonia

[tammywammy]

7. He's unfortunately mine as well

:(

[tammywammy]

6. David Cozad for Congress!

www.cozadforcongress.com

He's running against Barton.

And hearing Barton's unethical is like hearing "water is wet."

[sonias]

8. "Water is wet"

That is so true. :hug:

Barton is a corrupt Congressman. We know that. The problem is why people keep putting him back in office. How can the republican voters in this district keep re-electing him knowing he's corrupt? :shrug:

I wish Severns was running in the R primary. Know anything about him - the Libertarian candidate? Barton needed a primary opponent to knock him around a bit before the November election.



District 6
* Cozaad, David E. (D)
* Barton, Joe (R) *
* Severns, Byron (L)

Sonia

[tammywammy]

9. No, I don't know anything about him

I only know a little about Cozad b/c he's the father of a guy I went to high school with.