Lautenberg Attacks Bush, GOP, Big Oil

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., Saturday leveled a rhetorical broadside at President George W. Bush, Republican lawmakers and Big Oil.

Using the weekly Democratic radio address as his bully pulpit, Lautenberg accused the Bush administration of being in bed the oil industry at the expense of the American public. He noted when Bush took office, gas prices were less than half what they are now and oil was less than a third.

Then, seven years ago, President Bush and Vice President (Dick) Cheney secretly invited executives from the big oil and big energy companies to the White House to write our national energy policy, he said. When we finally uncovered the truth, we discovered — to no surprise — that Big Oil helped write a law that guaranteed them billions and billions of dollars in tax giveaways while they set in motion disastrous economic and environmental policies that have served no one but themselves.

The New Jersey Democrat, who is running for re-election and faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Bob Andrews, said Bush’s Republican allies in Congress continue to stand by his side, with the oil and energy companies — for the status quo and against the American people.