Jesse Jackson has taken his shakedown roadshow to Houston — rechristened the Energy Project for the occasion — no doubt hoping to drum up some “unsolicited” contributions to his Rainbow/PUSH coalition from Big Oil.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is in Houston this week, hosting his second annual energy symposium downtown, not coincidentally as the massive Offshore Technology Conference continues a few miles away.
While industry is focused on the latest drilling trends at OTC, Jackson is calling attention to the lack of women and minorities on corporate boards.
“They know there’s a talent pool for directors that reflects the population,” Jackson told the Houston Chronicle’s editorial board. “But they’ve maintained the old order and the incestuous relationships.”
After Jackson’s attempted shakedown of British Petroleum a couple of years ago, the energy cos probably know that they don’t actually need to make any minority board appointments to make Jesse go away — as long as the check is big enough, or the job for one of his family members cushy enough.
“Incestuous relationships” indeed.