New Online Ads Use Consumer Gas Price Sites To Expose Coleman's Allegiance To Big Oil

May 22, 2008

Matthew Miller, DSCC

DSCC Ads running on www.gasbuddy.com, www.gaspricewatch.com

Active ads will direct readers here.

As Memorial Day and even higher summer gas prices approach, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launched a series of online ads on two sites that consumers use to find lower gas prices – www.gasbuddy.com and www.gaspricewatch.com – to expose Republican Senator Norm Coleman’s accepting thousands of dollars in contributions from the oil and gas industry while standing in the way of reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil. The ads will run over the next month in Minnesota – where Coleman has taken over $210,000 from the oil and gas industry – as well as North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, New Hampshire and Kentucky and will be seen two million times.

“Rather than fighting for his constituents who are facing record prices at the pump, Norm Coleman continues to fight for the agenda of the oil industry that’s making record profits,” DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said. “Voters are tired of watching their wallets thinning at the tank while Norm Coleman’s campaign coffers are fattened by the oil companies.”

Coleman Has Taken $210,100 From the Oil and Gas Industry Over His Career. Since his first run for office Coleman has taken $210,100 from the Oil and Gas industry. [Center for Responsive Politics]
Coleman Has Voted to Protect Oil Company Profits and Give Them Tax Breaks Five Times. Since coming to Congress, Coleman has voted at least Five times to protect billions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies already reaping record profits. McConnell’s votes included a vote last year that would have gutted a provision of the energy bill that rolled back oil and gas tax breaks in favor of renewable fuels. In 2006, Coleman voted for provide $5 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for the oil and gas industry and in 2005 Coleman voted for a bill that contained $9 billion in tax breaks and subsidies. Coleman also twice voted against imposing a windfall profits tax on the sale of crude oil above $40 a barrel. Coleman even voted for the 2003 energy bill which contained $11.9 billion in tax breaks to the oil and gas industry. [Vote 118, 5/11/06; Vote 331, 11/17/05; Vote 341, 11/17/05; Vote 213, 7/29/05; Houston Chronicle, 11/17/05; Las Vegas Review-Journal, 11/18/05; Environment and Energy Daily¸ 11/18/05; Vote 456, 11/21/03]

Coleman Voted for $5 Billion Tax Break for Big Oil in 2006. In May 2006, Coleman voted to provide $5 billion in tax breaks to big oil companies over five years. This money could have been used to provide tax cuts to the middle class that were instead eliminated. [Vote 118, 5/11/06; Washington Post, 4/26/06; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/11/06; New York Times, 12/9/05]

Coleman Provided More than $9 Billion in Tax Breaks to Big Oil in 2005. In July 2005, Coleman voted for a pork-riddled energy bill that gave billions to the oil and gas industries, which were already making more than enough money as gas prices were rising. Oil and utility companies such spent at least $367 million pushing Congress to pass the energy bill, which the St. Louis Post-Dispatch criticized as “unlikely to affect prices now.” [Vote 213, 7/29/05; CNN, 7/28/05; Wall Street Journal, 7/18/06; AP, 7/21/06; New York Times, 3/27/06; Bloomberg, 7/27/05; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 7/31/05]

Coleman Twice Rejected Windfall Profits Tax for Big Oil in 2005. In November 2005, Coleman voted against imposing a temporary 50% tax on oil company profits from the sale of any crude oil above $40 a barrel. Revenues from the tax would be used to provide income tax rebates to consumers. The same day, Coleman voted against a separate but similar windfall tax amendment that would use the revenue to provide a $100 income tax credit for every personal exemption. [Vote 331, 11/17/05; Vote 341, 11/17/05; Houston Chronicle, 11/17/05; Las Vegas Review-Journal, 11/18/05; Environment and Energy Daily¸ 11/18/05]

Coleman Voted for an Energy Bill that Gave the Energy Companies Big Tax Breaks, While Shortchanging Renewables. Coleman voted to invoke cloture on a Bush-backed energy bill that gave $11.9 billion in tax breaks to the oil and gas industry, $2.5 billion to encourage “clean coal” plants and provide liability protection for ethanol producers for using the dangerous additive MTBE. The bill would also make it easier for utility mergers and ease ownership on who could own a power-generating utility. [Vote 456, 11/21/03]

Coleman Voted Against Measures to Promote Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Least Two Times. Since coming to Congress Coleman has voted against measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least two times. [Vote 148, 6/22/05; Vote 420, 10/30/03]

Coleman Has Voted Against Measures to Increase Fuel Economy Standards Two Times. Since coming to Congress Coleman has voted against measures to boost CAFE standards by 40 MPG in both 2005 and 2003. [Vote 157, 6/23/05; Vote 309, 7/29/03; Washington Times, 7/30/03; www.LCV.org]