The Democratic Party: Giuliani Offers Iowa Just Another Friend to Big Oil

July 19, 2007

Dubbed an “honorary Texas oil lawyer” by Time Magazine, records show that Rudy Giuliani’s business ties to Big Oil rival that of another Texas oil man: President George W. Bush. In Iowa today, Giuliani will have to explain how he can “commit” to energy independence when his businesses have profited from the same oil and gas interests that benefit from President Bush’s failed energy policies and the country’s over-dependence on foreign oil.

In addition to netting hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying for Citgo, the giant oil company which is controlled by Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, Rudy’s Houston law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, also has lobbied on the behalf of Saudi Arabia’s oil ministry and BMB Munai, which develops oil wells in Kazakhstan. In fact, Giuliani’s law firm has operated an office in the Republic of Kazakhstan”to service oil producers and their lenders in the Caspian Sea region” since 1997. [Associated Press, 3/20/07, 5/15/07, Bloomberg, 3/14/07; Newsday (New York), 6/22/07]

Recent financial disclosures also show that Rudy Giuliani is the favorite candidate of the oil and gas industry. According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Rudy’s presidential campaign received individual and PAC contributions from the fuel industry totaling $238,150 through March of 2007, more than double the amount received by the next highest candidate on the list, Mitt Romney. [http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?Ind=E01, accessed 7/10/07]

“Americans do not want another oil man in the White House,” said DNC Communications Director Karen Finney. “How can Rudy Giuliani say he is committed to energy independence when he has profited from businesses that want America to stay over-dependent on foreign oil? It’s clear that Rudy offers more of the same failed policies that have led to higher energy prices for America’s families and have made our country less secure.”

THE TRUTH BEHIND GIULIANI’S “COMMITMENTS”
Energy Independence Edition

Giuliani Is An “Honorary TexasOil Lawyer.” Writing about Giuliani’s extensive business ties with the oil and gas sector, Time called him, “an honorary Texas oil lawyer.” [Time, 4/2/07]

So Far, Giuliani’s Policy Are Designed To Make His Donors Happy.

– Giuliani Wants To Drill In Gulf, Atlantic. UPI noted that “Elements of his speeches might be reassuring to Big Oil.” In 2007 speeches, Giuliani expressed support for “new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico” in April and in “potential seabed fields off the East Coast” in February. [UPI, 5/7/07; Greenville News (South Carolina), 2/22/07]

– Giuliani Supports Drilling In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Giuliani also supports drilling in Alaska’s pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. [Greenville News (South Carolina), 2/22/07]

Giuliani The Favorite Candidate of Oil And Gas Industry. According to data from the non-partisan Center For Responsive Politics, Giuliani is the top recipient of campaign donations from the oil and gas industry, with individual and PAC contributions from the fuel industry totaling $238,150 through March of 2007, more then double the amount received by the next highest candidate on the list, Mitt Romney. [http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?Ind=E01, accessed 7/10/07]

2007: Giuliani Firm Representing Saudi Oil Ministry. While Giuliani campaigned on America’s needs to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, in March 2007, Giuliani’s law firm began representing Saudi Arabia’s oil ministry in a Texas court case. [Associated Press, 5/14/07]

2005-2007: Giuliani Defends Law Firm Lobbying For Hugo Chavez’s Citgo. Starting weeks after Giuliani joined the firm in 2005 and continuing into 2007, Bracewell and Giuliani received as much as $250,000 to lobby for Citgo, the oil firm controlled by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. On June 21st, Giuliani “defended his law firm’s work for the company, saying Citgo employs ‘thousands and thousands of people in America.[The law firm] represented them honorably. They represented them well.'” [Bloomberg, 3/14/07; Newsday (New York), 6/22/07]

2007: Giuliani Continued To Make Money Helping Increase Use Of Foreign Oil in Kazakhstan.
Since 1997, Bracewell and Giuliani has operated an office in the Republicof Kazakhstan”to service oil producers and their lenders in the Caspian Sea region” Among their clients is “BMB Munai, which develops oil wells in Kazakhstan” [Associated Press, 3/20/07, 5/15/07]

Giuliani Cashes In With Extensive Ties To Shell, 2nd Largest Oil and Gas Company
Giuliani Cashed In On Ties To Shell.

– Royal Dutch Shell Is 2nd Largest In Industry, Netting Huge Profits. According to data from Reuters, Royal Dutch Shell is the 2nd largest integrated oil and gas company. In 2006, it netted a $25.4 billion profit, a company record “attributable directly to high oil prices” according to industry analysts. [http://www.investor.reuters.com/business/BusRankingsCompanies.aspx?industry=OILINT&target=busrankcomp&rankcategory=2, accessed 7/10/07; New York Times, 2/3/07]

– Giuliani Paid Speaker For Shell. For giving a speech to Shell Oil on 3/7/06, Giuliani netted $48,000. [Giuliani Personal Financial Disclosure, May 2007]

– Giuliani’s Consulting Firm Has Shell As Client. Giuliani Partners worked as a security consultant for Shell’s proposed natural gas project in the Long Island Sound. [Newsday (New York), 5/8/06]

– Giuliani Met With Shell For His Law Firm Too. According to New York Newsday, Giuliani met with Shell executives as part of his role of “solidifying existing relationships” for Bracewell & Giuliani. From 1998 – 2004, the law firm provided lobbying services for Shell. [Newsday (New York), 5/8/06; Senate Lobbying Disclosures]

– Giuliani On Payroll Of More Top Oil And Gas Companies. Through his namesake law firm, Bracewell and Giuliani, from which Giuliani took home at least $1.2 million for 2006 and early 2007, he is reaping the benefits of their work for the oil and gas industry. [Giuliani Personal Financial Disclosure, May 2007]

– Giuliani’s Ties With Bracewell & Giuliani Got Him Oil Money, Including Over $50k From Valero and 3 Other Texas Oil Company Executives. “Valero Energy, the largest refiner in North America, has been a client of Bracewell & Giuliani and gave more than $14,000 to Giuliani’s campaign. Three other Texasoil companies have each given more than $10,000 to Giuliani. The most came from Sierra Resource, a private oil and gas development company based in Houston, which contributed $18,400.” [UPI, 5/7/07]

#4 Oil Firm ChevronTexaco Is Bracewell & Giuliani Client. ChevronTexaco, the #4 firm in the industry, is another Bracewell & Giuliani legal client [Associated Press, 5/14/07; http://www.investor.reuters.com/business/BusRankingsCompanies.aspx?industry=OILINT&target=busrankcomp&rankcategory=2, accessed 7/10/07]

More Top Clients Include Oil and Gas Associations. Bracewell & Giuliani’s top clients include the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, which represents 450 oil companies, the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council and the Gas Processors Association. [Newsday (New York.), 5/8/06]

Statoil Is A Bracewell & Giuliani Legal Client. The Norway-based Statoil oil and gas conglomerate is another client. [Associated Press, 5/14/07]

Bracewell And Giuliani Ranked As One Of The U.S.Leaders In Oil And Gas Work. On their website, the firm brags that their “energy practice was ranked as one of the U.S.leaders in oil and gas work as well as regulatory expertise.” [“About Bracewell and Giuliani,” , accessed 2/8/07]

Critics Say Bracewell & Giuliani Is “The Most Anti-Environment Voice In Washington.” “Critics say the firm has been central to rolling back environmental regulations in the Bush years, when the firm’s lobbyists had meetings with Vice President Dick Cheney.” Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters said “Giuliani’s firm has been perhaps the most anti-environment voice in Washington, representing some of the biggest corporate polluters.” Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, said “They are probably the most influential voice on behalf of big-polluting industry in Washington, D.C.” [New York Times, 5/2/07]

http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/07/giuliani_offers.php

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.