Schakowsky Tells BP to get its Priorities Straight
Letter Urges BP's CEO to Halt Dividends, Cut PR Campaign
WASHINGTON, DC (June 9, 2010) — Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) joined nearly 50 other House Democrats in sending a letter to British Petroleum CEO, Tony Hayward urging him to cancel the planned payout of shareholder dividends expected June 21st and to end its aggressive advertising campaign to rehabilitate its image.
"It is just outrageous that BP, whose grave negligence and self-interested profiteering caused this disaster, has the gall to run a $50 million ad campaign to polish its rightfully tarnished image. On top of that, they're scheduled to pay a reported $10 billion in dividends to shareholders in a few weeks. Get your priorities straight, BP: Workers have died, families and businesses have been upended, whole ecosystems have been destroyed and the oil is still gushing. Consider these payments due,... Schakowsky added.
Schakowsky attended a field hearing in Chalmette, Louisiana on Monday, June 7th. The "Local Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill... was held by the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
"After returning yesterday from a field hearing in Louisiana, I can tell you that the environmental catastrophe in the Gulf region is one of biblical proportions, and the economic and emotional toll on the people there is beyond devastating,... Schakowsky said. Â "The responsible parties must be held accountable and I plan to do so at next week's Subcommittee hearing with BP's CEO, Tony Hayward....
Hayward is scheduled to testify at a hearing before the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Thursday, June 17th.