The offshore drilling company Transocean, under fire for its involvement in the oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico, this week hired Capitol Hill Consulting Group to represent it in Washington.
Transocean has no other registered lobbyists, disclosure documents show. The new registration was filed Monday, the beginning of a week that has seen contentious hearings on the spill on Capitol Hill, and effective immediately. The registration said the firm expects to lobby on issues related to oil and gas exploration, off-shore drilling, and mobile drilling units.
The three-person lobbying team working for Transocean includes former Rep. Bill Brewster, an Oklahoma Democrat who was the first chairman of the Congressional Oil and Gas Forum and co-founded the Blue Dogs. Brewster is now the chairman of Capitol Hill Consulting Group. Brewster could not immediately be reached for comment.
Brian Kennedy, a spokesperson for Transocean, said that given the level of congressional inquiry, “it was necessary and appropriate to get Washington representation.” Brewster “will be serving as a liaison for the company.” He will also play a role in preparing company executives for congressional hearings, Kennedy said.
At hearings this week, executives from companies involved with the spill, including Transocean and BP, each said the others were to blame for the spill. Read an earlier article from NLJ.com here.
I visit the beautiful white sands of my local beach near my house in Madeira Beach Florida daily. Like most locals shudder at the possibility of what may lie ahead for them.
St. Petersburg (Fl) Times this morning reports that Transocean moved its headquarters to Switzerland two years ago so as not to pay American corporate taxes. It just declared a dividend of $1billion yet want to limit its liabilities.
Corporations are considered to have the rights of people by our Supreme Court but have zero responsibilities nor patriotism.
Posted by: Dr. Tony Branch | May 15, 2010 at 11:16 AM