Big Oil tries to "buy Congress"

The oil and gas industry aims to control Congress in order to decontrol gas. That's the conclusion of the Citizen Labor Energy Coalition, which recently issued a report on political contributions from the energy companies.

The study shows that oil and gas interests have contributed more than $4.3 million to 1982 Congressional candidates, a full 25% of all money spent by corporate political action committees (PACs). By the end of this year's campaigns, the total amount of contributions from the energy companies will surpass the record $6 million mark set in 1980, the report states.

"The main item on the oil and gas interests' agenda is gas decontrol," says Scott Hemping, legislative representative for the Citizen/Labor Energy Coalition, which is sponsored by unions and community groups. "Decontrol would cost the public $36 billion over the next three years alone," resulting in "a doubling of people's gas bills," Hempling says. "Given the big stake in gas decontrol, it's understandable why they would spend $4.3 million," he adds.

The recipients of oil and gas largesse are 7601o Republican and heavily incumbent. The geographic distribution is spread out, with less than 20% going to candidates in the "major oil and gas producing states of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Candidates in all 50 states received some money, although the largest recipients reside in Texas.

"The point for the oil industry is to have as many friends as possible on the floor," says Hempling. The energy companies aim to "buy the whole Congress."

Eight of the 196 PACs studied spent more than $100,000: LTV Corporation, Dow Chemical Company, Dallas Energy PAC and Louisiana Energy PAC, Tenneco, Amoco, Mid-Continent Wildcatter's Association and Signal Company.

On the receiving end, the Senatorial candidates getting the most oil and gas money were: Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Malcolm Wallop (R-WY), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Harrison Schmitt (R-NM), Jim Santini (D-NV - defeated in the primary), Cleve Benedict (R-WV), Dave Durenberger (R-MN), and Peter Wilson (R-CA). In the House races, the big winners were Phil Gramm (D-TX), Liles Williams (R-MS), Jim Jones (D-OK), Robert Michel (R-IL), John Rousselot (R-CA), Clint Roberts (R-SD), Jack Fields (R-TX) and Jim Coyne (R-PA).