Do BP's big donations to Obama matter?

The president has received more in political contributions from BP than any other federal candidate in the last 20 years. Is that fact important?

Barack Obama.
(Image credit: Getty)

Over the past two decades, President Obama is the number one recipient of campaign donations from the company whose burned-out oil rig is now spewing millions of gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, reports Politico. He received $77,051 from BP and its employees during his time in the Senate and while running for president. In total, the firm has given $3.5 milllion to federal candidates over the past 20 years. Is it possible the company has gotten special treatment from Obama, or are its donations not relevant to the spill?

That would explain the delay in responding, then: Now we know why Obama took "so long to respond to the oil spill disaster," says Cassie Fiano at her blog. No doubt they'll say it's just "coincidence that he dragged his feet" when he should have reacted quickly. But now that these donations are public knowledge, BP should prepare to be "thrown under the Obama bus."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up
Latest Videos FromThe Week