In his opening remarks at today’s BP hearings before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rep. Joe Barton (R., Texas) came out strongly against the $20-billion liability escrow fund created by BP at the government’s urging:

“It is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown,” said Barton, “in this case a $20 billion shakedown.”

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