For Immediate Release

May 25, 2007

Contact: Jessica Rhoades

 
Montana Democratic Party Chair Dennis McDonald Blasts Rehberg for Voting Against Easing Pain at the Pump

Gas Prices at $3.40 Per Gallon in Montana

[HELENA, MT] - With gasoline prices soaring to $3.40 per gallon in Montana heading into Memorial Day weekend, Montana Democratic Party Chair Dennis McDonald today blasted Rep. Dennis Rehberg for voting against a measure to ease the pain at the pump for Montana's families. [Source: AAA Fuel Gauge Report, http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/sbsavg.asp]

 

"There are only two groups of people who love high gas prices: the oil company executives who are reaping record profits and members of Congress like Dennis Rehberg who collect their campaign contributions," Montana Democratic Party Chair Dennis McDonald said.  "The fact that Rehberg chose to fight for oil executives instead of Montana families facing high gas prices says a lot about his priorities."

 

This week in the House of Representatives, Democrats led the charge to pass the Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2007 by a mostly party line vote of 284-141, defying a veto threat from President Bush. The bill would protect Americans from being gouged at the pump and set America on a path toward lower gas prices by imposing tough new measures to investigate and punish those who are artificially inflating the price of gasoline. The Bush Administration's veto threat and the fact that most Republicans, including Montana's Dennis Rehberg voted against the bill shows that the Republican Party remains beholden to Big Oil.

 

"Republicans like Rehberg should apologize for failing to join Democrats to pass the anti-price gouging bill, and owe it to Montanans to hold the Bush Administration accountable and help lower gas prices."

Rehberg has received at least $215,000 from oil and gas industry PACs,

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allindus.asp?CID=N00004645

 

In addition to his vote against punishing Big Oil for price gouging this week, Rehberg has voted for billions of dollars in tax breaks for multi-national oil and gas corporations while they were earning record profits. 

 

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