Brian Davis: Fighting for Big Oil
"DFL Party News"07/23/2008
Davis’ energy plan puts oil companies over middle-class families, still distorts truth
St. Paul (July 22, 2008) — Republican First District Congressional candidate Brian Davis continues to demonstrate that his energy plan puts Big Oil companies over middle-class families.
In a July 21 Star Tribune chart on energy policy, Davis stated that he opposes increased restrictions on speculation in oil markets. Many reports argue that speculation plays a significant role in driving oil prices higher worldwide.
In addition, Davis continues to distort the truth on energy policy. In another recent example, Davis claimed in a July 20 interview with Minnesota Public Radio that “[w]e’re the only country in the world that does not allow off-shore drilling.” Facts from the Minerals Management Service (MMS), the federal agency that oversees off-shore drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), directly contradict Davis’s claim, showing that the OCS accounts for about 27% of America’s domestic oil production.
DFL Party Associate Communications Director Eric Fought released the following statement:
“While many Minnesotans would agree that we need to stop oil speculation from unfairly driving up the price of oil, millionaire Dr. Brian Davis wants to give the oil speculators and his friends in Big Oil free reign to increase prices and make record profits.
“From his support for oil speculators to his false statements on off-shore drilling, Dr. Davis continues to fight for the oil companies over working families, taking outlandish positions and distorting the truth.”
Brian Davis: Putting Big Oil First
In a Star Tribune chart on the energy positions of Congressional candidates, Davis states that he opposes increased restrictions of speculation in oil markets. [Star Tribune website, accessed 7/22/07]
The facts show that oil speculation has driven up the cost of oil, by as much as $20-$60 per barrel. The International Monetary Fund states: “It is critical for the American people paying a record $4 per gallon and the integrity of the oil futures market to curb the excessive speculation, which experts testified this week may be responsible for inflating prices by as much as $20 to $60 more per barrel. The International Monetary Fund recently concluded that, “speculation has played a significant role in the run-up of oil prices.” [International Monetary Fund, Regional Economic Outlook, Middle East and Central America, p. 28, 5/08]
Brian Davis: Spreading Misinformation on Energy
In an interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Davis made outlandish claim about off-shore drilling. In a story placed on the MPR website, Brian Davis stated that “while he lacked political experience, he says he knows what needs to be done to lower gas prices.” Davis continued, “We’re the only country in the world that does not allow off-shore drilling.” [Minnesota Public Radio, 7/20/08]
According to federal agency tasked with overseeing off-shore drilling, plenty of drilling is taking place. “The OCS is a significant source of oil and gas for the Nation’s energy supply. The approximately 43 million leased OCS acres generally accounts for about 15 percent of America’s domestic natural gas production and about 27 percent of America’s domestic oil production. The MMS’s oversight and regulatory frameworks ensure production and drilling are done in an environmentally responsible manner, and done safely.” [Minerals Management Service Website, accessed 7/21/08]
Davis’s Claim about Chinese Drilling: Debunked
DAVIS CLAIM: Davis spreads debunked claim of Chinese drilling off Florida coast. In a letter to supporters, Davis wrote: “If Congress wants an energy bill it should work to remove obstacles to domestic energy production by increasing supply, such as opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Outer Continental Shelf for oil exploration and recovery. While our federal government sits on its hands, just 45 miles off the cost of Florida, Cuba is working with China developing oil fields.” [Brian Davis letter to First District Republicans, 1/9/08, accessed 6/26/08, emphasis in original]
· FACT: Davis letter cites two-year-old Heartland Institute post as source; Heartland Institute received $676,500 from ExxonMobil. Davis’ source for his claim is a 2006 post of an article on the website of the Heartland Institute. Based on publicly-available reports from ExxonMobil, the website ExxonSecrets.org has calculated that ExxonMobil gave $676,500 to the Heartland Institute between 1998–2006. [ExxonSecrets.org, accessed 6/26/08]
· FACT: Republican senator calls Republican claim of Chinese drilling off Florida coast “urban legend.” “U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, Republican from Florida, took to the Senate floor today to try to put the kibosh on a growing myth on Capitol Hill, being spread by members of his own party: That China is drilling for oil and gas just 60 miles off Key West, closer to Florida than American companies can drill. ‘China is not drilling off the coast of Cuba,’ Martinez said. ‘Reports to the contrary are simply false. They're rumors, akin to urban legend.’” [Tampa Bay Times, 6/11/08]
· FACT: Even Cheney admitted that Chinese-drilling claim was false. “In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cheney said on Wednesday that waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, long off limits to oil companies, should be opened to drilling because China is already there pumping oil. … independent energy experts … called the assertion hyperbole at best and a falsehood at worst. Cheney's office said in a statement to The Associated Press that the vice president had erred. ‘It is our understanding that, although Cuba has leased out exploration blocks 60 miles off the coast of southern Florida, which is closer than American firms are allowed to operate in that area, no Chinese firm is drilling there,’ according to the statement.” [Fox News, 6/12/08]
Davis’s Claims About Drilling in ANWR Also Challenged
DAVIS CLAIM: Being against drilling in Artic National Wildlife Refuge means you oppose lowering gas prices, wants to open ANWR for “immediate drilling”. In a letter to First District Republicans, Davis states that because Congressman Tim Walz is against drilling in ANWR, he is in favor of “higher gasoline prices.” In a press release, Davis stated that ANWR should be opened up for “immediate exploration for oil and natural gas recovery.” [Davis campaign press release, 1/10/08, accessed 3/28/08; Brian Davis letter to First District Republicans, 1/9/08, accessed 3/28/08]
· FACT: Independent government agency repeatedly shows drilling in ANWR to have negligible effect on price of oil, gas. The federal government’s independent Energy Information Administration concluded in both March 2004 and May 2008 that drilling in ANWR would have a negligible effect on reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil, and would lower the price of oil by no more than $1.44 a barrel, and possibly as little as 41 cents a barrel. [MSNBC, 3/16/04; US News and World Report, 5/23/08]
· FACT: Joint congressional committee concurs. In June 2008 a U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee analysis of federal-government data concluded that drilling in ANWR would reduce the price of gas by between one and four cents a gallon. [United States Congress Joint Economic Committee, 6/10/08]
Davis Repeatedly Denies Existence of Global Warming
DAVIS CLAIM: Global Warming Is “Falsehood.” At the First Congressional District Republican endorsing convention, Davis said, “We need to focus less on mandates that pay tribute to the falsehoods of man-made global warming and emphasize more the free market, and increasing domestic energy supply.” [Davis convention speech, First Congressional District Republican convention, Albert Lea, 3/29/08, transcript available]
DAVIS CLAIM: “No Consensus” on “Deeply Flawed” Global Warming. “… [T]here really is no consensus that global warming is man made” (emphasis in original). “Our nation's energy policy and economic well-being should not be based on the deeply flawed theory that carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuel combustion will lead to catastrophic climate change.”[Brian Davis letter to First District Republicans, 1/9/08, accessed 4/16/08; Davis campaign press release, 1/10/08, accessed 4/16/08]
DAVIS CLAIM: "Mankind has little if anything to do with global warming." “I don't deny that there are areas where glaciers are shrinking and breaking up, but then there are areas where ice packs are forming," Davis said. "Climate is very variable. And it's very difficult to predict.” [Star Tribune, 4/15/08]
DAVIS CLAIM: Davis rejects the “man-made global warming religion." In a speech to the Minnesota GOP State Convention, Davis told delegates that he does not believe that global warming is caused by humans. “Let me be clear: I totally reject the man-made global warming religion.” [Davis campaign press release, 6/1/08, accessed 7/1/08]