BP Firing Up Political Machine One Year After Start of Oil Spill http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/04/bp-firing-up-political-machine-one.html

After a year of largely self-imposed campaign finance exile, embattled oil company BP is again making federal political contributions from the political action committee sponsored by its North American subsidy, a Center for Responsive Politics review of federal records indicates.BP's recent political campaign expenditures come to light as the nation on Wednesday marks the first anniversary of an explosion that rocked the BP-operated offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, killing its 11 crew members and causing oil to gush for months afterward. Scientists estimate more than 205 million gallons leaked into the Gulf of Mexico

In March, BP's PAC cut checks primarily for Republican House leaders and Republican Party committees. These include:Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), who received $1,000, is the influential chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who received a $5,000 contribution from the BP PAC, is perhaps the most influential Republican on Capitol Hill because of his capacity as House speaker.Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), also a beneficiary of $5,000, is the House Majority Whip.Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) received $5,000. Upton is the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and received more than $100,000 in contributions from the oil and gas industry during the 2010 election cycle

Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) is the sole Democrat to receive BP PAC money this quarter. His contribution totaled $3,000. Visclosky is a member of the Committee on Appropriations and is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.On March 1, BP's PAC also doled out $5,000 to both the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Spokespeople for the NRCC, NRSC and five lawmakers did not immediately return OpenSecrets Blog's requests for interviews.

[also read>Nil, Baby, Nil: Congress Fails To Pass A Single Oil Spill Law http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/04/20-1