McGavick, Big Oil And ANWR Drilling

Looks like it's going to be a banner month for the McGavick/Stevens ticket for Washington's Senate seat. On April 17th McGavick will have Big Dick Cheney singing his praises, and we now learn that on April 13th major Alaskan oil drilling supporters will be showering McGavick with money at an event in Anchorage.

McGavick has said he favors ANWR drilling, so it's natural that the energy industry would support him, said former Rep. Al Swift, a Democrat who represented the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties.

"But this could be a little PR problem for him," Swift said, because some people might see it as Alaska's congressional delegation jumping into the Washington race.

The Seattle Times further reports:

Among the fundraising sponsors are several names who have made the list of Top 25 Most Powerful Alaskans published by the Alaska Journal of Commerce.

They also include five current or former board members of Arctic Power, a lobby for ANWR drilling that is supported by Alaska state money. Last week Alaska's state House approved $750,000 for the organization.

Arctic Power's leaders include Bill Allen, owner of VECO, a giant Alaskan construction company that stands to gain from opening ANWR. His firm, and others on the patron list, gave money to another organization — Alaska to America Energy Initiative — that also lobbies for ANWR drilling, according to the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan group that advocates for campaign reform.

Allen and his firm contributed heavily in 2005 to Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Resources Committee, according to news reports. Pombo was the key congressman pushing ANWR drilling in the House.

Stevens' brother-in-law, Bill Bittner, also is among the fundraising patrons. His firm — Birch, Horton, Bittner and Cherot — represents Alaska's state Legislature in D.C. on numerous issues, including oil and natural gas.

Several sponsors have connections to Cook Inlet Region, an Alaska native-owned corporation that supports ANWR drilling. And one is a trustee of Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, a $34 billion trust for state residents based largely on oil revenues.

McGavick insists he's just trying to be friendly with these people instead of opposing them, like incumbent Maria Cantwell has done, as she tries to thwart their ANWR drilling attempts.

Oh, please! McGavick is so in bed with these people it is sickening. It is obvious that with Big Dick and Ted Steven's Big Oil buddies backing that McGavick will be returning favors in a big way should he win election in November. Washingtonians have a clear choice: they can either vote for Big Oil and the McGavick/Stevens ticket, or Maria Cantwell who has fought successfully for our environment, against ANWR drilling, and is a champion of investing in alternative energy sources.