Gas Prices And Profits Reach All- Time High, Musgrave Complicit

For Immediate Release: July 24, 2006

Contact: James Thompson
James@Angie2006.com
(970) 222-6397

Gas Prices And Profits Reach All- Time High, Musgrave Complicit

Musgrave does the bidding of oil and gas special interests that contribute thousands to her campaign.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Gasoline prices reached an all-time-high national average of more than $3.01 per gallon last weekend, hurting working families across America while oil and gas special interests rake in record profits. Marilyn Musgrave is also profiting from consumers' pain, said State Rep. Angie Paccione, Musgrave's opponent in Colorado's Fourth Congressional District.

The top five oil and gas companies reportedly are expected to announce this week more than $30 billion in profits for this quarter. The oil and gas special interests spend millions of dollars in oil money to grease the wheels in Congress, including more than $56,000 that has gone to Musgrave.

In return, Musgrave and other members of Congress who are in the pocket of special interests continually vote for policies that sustain high gasoline prices and record profits.

Paccione said that by voting to block efforts to stop price gouging and voting for billions in subsidies for oil and gas special interests, Musgrave has broken her promise in her 2005 Congressional "Acheivement" Report to work for "lower gas prices for all Americans."

"At the pump we're seeing the direct result of policies supported by special interests and by politicians like Marilyn Musgrave," Paccione said. "Once again, she didn't keep her word, and she's taking piles of special interest money for her campaign, money that came from our wallets."

Among the most egregious of Musgrave's votes is her "no" vote in May on a popular bill against price gouging by oil companies. Musgrave was one of 34 Republicans who voted against the American consumer and on the side of special interests (H.R. 5253, 5/3/2006). Just as outrageous, Musgrave voted for more than $16 billion in giveaways to oil and gas companies when they were collecting record profits (HR 6, 7/28/05, and HR 3893, 10/7/05; see other votes below).

"She can't use excuses about ‘market forces' to get out of this one," Paccione said. "Her oil money and her votes say it all. Her hypocrisy and her ties to special interests are bad for Americans, and they're bad for her constituents."

Paccione added, "We need principled leadership for a change. Unlike Marilyn, I won't sell my vote to the special interests."

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