Republican Jackass of the Week Part 2

It's Joe Barton, who actually apologized to the filthy, toxic, negligent oil company, BP.

Here's a company that cut corners at every opportunity. A company that is the direct cause of the biggest environmental disaster in US history.

President Obama was able to do what no president has ever done: secure 20 billion dollars in an escrow fund to pay for cleanup costs and damages due to BP's negligence. (After the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, years of lawsuits resulted in a very small penalty for Exxon.)

But this self-righteous idiotic Republican (what else?) from Texas, actually delivered a mind-boggling apology to Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive for the monetary penalty. He referred to the 20 billion dollars as a "shakedown" in front of a Congressional committee today. Gasps could be heard in the hearing room.

Every Regressive with even a glimmer of hope for re-election quickly distanced himself from this outrageously inappropriate comment. Orange House Minority Leader John Boehner said "BP ought to be held responsible for every dime of this tragedy."