Keep this in mind whenever the Left bitches about lobbyists and special interests.
If BP faces heavy federal scrutiny, it’s well-positioned to fight back: The London-based company has consistently spent top dollar to influence legislative and regulatory activity in Washington, D.C., the Center for Responsive Politics finds.
During the 2008 election cycle, individuals and political action committees associated with BP — a Center for Responsive Politics’ “heavy hitter” — contributed half a million dollars to federal candidates. About 40 percent of these donations went to Democrats. The top recipient of BP-related donations during the 2008 cycle was President Barack Obama himself, who collected $71,000.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/04/on-thursday-oil-giant-bp.html
Via Dob Surber:
BP and Big Oil back Obama’s coal tax
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/16027
He’s all about using the very eeeeeeevil capitalist/private sector corporations he wants to break or eventually take over.