House GOP leaders put Barton on notice: 17JUN10

The story may not be over for GOP Rep Joe Barton. Even though he has now issued a statement retracting his apology to BP, House GOP leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor privately warned him that if he screws up again, he'll lose his slot as ranking Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, a senior GOP aide tells me.
"This may not be the end of the story," the aide says, adding that if he starts making similar noises about BP, he's out. "Boehner and Cantor told him he came within a centimeter of losing his seat, and to strongly keep that in mind."
I'm also told that Barton's retraction came after Boehner and Cantor exerted heavy pressure on him, and that there was wrangling over Barton's final statement -- another sign that GOP leaders knew just how lethal Barton's apology to BP was for the party.
* Just in time: The Post has an incredibly useful guide to the holdings in the oil and gas industry enjoyed by members of Congress -- Republicans and Dems alike. Take a look.
* The House GOP leadership issues a new statement denouncing Barton's apology to BP as "wrong."
* But the DCCC isn't letting up: They're running new Facebook ads calling on Barton to stop apologizing to BP and sending out releases to targeted districts demanding Republicans disavow his remarks.
* A very bad number for Obama: A new CNN poll finds approval of his ability to handle a crisis has dropped 11 points, though a majority, 53%, still approves.
* But: CNN also finds that majorities still say he's a "strong and decisive leader" and "inspires confidence," facts that you won't read in Maureen Dowd's next column about Obama's lack of a hearty appetite.
* The Barton tale eclipsed the day's other big story, the meeting of Senate Dems about how to proceed on climate change, but it turns out nothing important was decided at that meeting in any case.
* Question of the day, from Michael Roston: "How much money will Joe Barton raise off his apology to BP?"
* That's not really tongue in cheek: The leader of Tea Party Nation says Barton had it right, so this could turn Barton into a martyr of some cause or other.
* GOP Rep. John Campbell of California tells Dave Weigel that he's worried that Obama is handing that $20 billion in BP money over to one of his czars.
* And this is an absolutely brutal video from HuffPo's Ben Craw comparing BP chief Tony Hayward's Congressional testimony with BP's TV ads.

Congressional Oil HoldingsNearly 30 members of congressional committees overseeing oil and gas companies held personal assets in the industry totaling $9 million to $14.5 million late last year. That included up to nearly $1 million in the three companies at the heart of the Gulf of Mexico oil-drilling disaster. Use this tool to drill down on the oil and gas holdings of specific members: Click the link below to go to the interactive graph.

Depiction in this graphic does not suggest wrongdoing by a member of Congress. Under current ethics guidelines, all holdings and investments cited here fall within the rules.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/congressional_oil_holdings/

New House and Senate disclosures released

Congressional members overseeing firms involved in Gulf spill held oil and gas stock.

Congressional stock holdings

This interactive graphic provides a breakdown of financial holdings by lawmakers on certain committees.

When public duties and private investments intersect

Some congressional panels have high concentrations of shares in sectors they oversee.