SUNUNU VOTES TO PUT BIG OIL OVER CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

Sununu Has Taken Over $170,000 in Big Oil Campaign Money

John Sununu voted today to let big oil keep billions of dollars in excess profits rather than use that money to expand incentives for alternative energy development. Sununu’s votes helped kill an amendment that a bipartisan group of Senators voted to attach to an energy bill being considered by the Senate – and it’s no surprise why given the more than $170,000 Sununu has gladly taken from the oil and gas industry. Even New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg broke with Sununu and voted against gutting the amendment.

“John Sununu had a chance today to choose a cleaner environment over the big oil companies who are funding his campaign, and he made the wrong decision for New Hampshire,” said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley. “Other Republicans were willing to reach across party aisles to support this important legislation, but apparently John Sununu’s ties to Big Oil are too strong for him to ignore. New Hampshire deserves better then a Senator that seems to be bought and paid for by the big oil companies.”

Sununu Twice Voted Against Raising Billions From Big Oil Companies to Fund Alternative Energy. Today, Sununu twice voted against collecting $29 billion from big oil in order to fund alternative energy sources. First, Sununu parted with Judd Gregg and voted to gut the program by requiring the Secretary of Energy to declare that the bill would not raise gas prices or increase dependency on foreign oil before the provisions could be implemented. After his attempt to gut the measure failed, Sununu then voted against the whole tax package. [Vote 222, 6/21/07; Vote 223, 6/21/07; Senate Finance Committee Markup, 6/19/07; Dow Jones, 6/19/07; AP, 6/19/07; Chicago Tribune, 6/21/07]

Top Committee Republican Agreed That Oil and Gas Tax Package is The Way to Go. The penalties for big oil and gas companies earned bipartisan support, with Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Finance Committee's top Republican, saying, “We have entered a new era in energy markets...(that) requires a dramatic shift away from tax incentives for oil and gas production” and toward support for other energy sources and efficiency. [AP, 6/19/07]

Sununu Has Received More Than $172,000 in Campaign Contributions From Oil and Gas Industry. The big oil & gas industry has contributed at least $172,130 to John Sununu’s campaigns over the years. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 6/20/07]

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