For Immediate Release:
August 26, 2003
Graham to Cheney: Pattern of Deception Must End
Calls on Vice President to Release Energy Task Force Documents
Tallahassee, FLIt comes as no surprise that under the Bush/Cheney Administration, big oil companies have greater access to the White House than at any point in American history. What does come as a surprise are the lengths to which this Administration is willing to go to hide this cozy relationship.
Congressional investigators have found that the Vice President's Energy Task Force relied heavily on 'petroleum, coal, nuclear, natural gas, electricity industry representatives and lobbyists, while seeking limited input from academic experts, environmentalists and policy groups.' But the Vice President's office refuses to fully cooperate with investigators seeking to find out the extent of this influence.
If the Bush/Cheney team has nothing to hide, then why are they hiding documents? There can be only one answerthey don't want the American people to know just how much influence the big oil companies have over U.S. energy policy.
This is the latest example of how the Bush Administration is willing to hang every day citizens like farmers, commuters, and truck drivers out to dry in order to help their campaign donors. First, he saddles Americans with a tax cut given to the rich which leaves middle income people having to pay the bills, and now he hits them again every day at the gas pumps so his rich campaign contributors can pad their pockets.
The pattern of deception from this administration must end. It's time to come clean with the American people. And it's time to develop an energy policy that looks out for the American peoplenot the Halliburtons of the world.