FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 15, 2008
CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384


               Hurricane Ike Stokes Gas Price Gouging Fears
John McCain Sided with Bush, Big Oil to Oppose
                  Price Gouging Protections for Consumers


Washington, D.C.—Despite falling oil prices, gas prices have jumped in the
wake of Hurricane Ike.  As many Texas refineries remain shutdown, gasoline
prices on the spot market have jumped more than $1.50 a gallon and worries
about price gouging along the Gulf Coast and in other areas have emerged.
Yet, even after the serious problems following Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
John McCain voted AGAINST protecting consumers from price gouging during
energy emergencies.  And just this summer as gas prices skyrocketed, John
McCain continued to oppose legislation that included price gouging
provisions.


It comes as no surprise that McCain would join President Bush and Big Oil
in opposing these measures.  He's also filled his campaign with lobbyists
who've been paid millions of dollars by Big Oil and its front group, the
American Petroleum Institute, to oppose protections for consumers, block
clean energy, and stop efforts to repeal billions in government giveaways
to the oil industry.


    Statement of Cathy Duvall, Sierra Club National Political Director


"Just two months after the turmoil and dramatic spike in gas prices caused
by Hurricane Katrina, John McCain voted against protecting consumers from
price gouging during energy emergencies. If that wasn't outrageous enough,
when gas prices skyrocketed this summer, John McCain sided with Big Oil and
Wall Street speculators by opposing legislation that would've protected
consumers and cracked downed on the rampant speculation that independent
experts now blame for the run up in oil prices.  This is just one more
troubling example of McCain siding with President Bush and Big Oil instead
of American consumers.


"It should come as no surprise that John McCain sides with Big Oil on this
issue and so many more.  John McCain and the Republican National Committee
have received millions in campaign cash from Big Oil and the lobbyists
running his campaign and planning his administration have been paid
millions by the oil industry in order to oppose price gouging protections,
clean energy legislation, and other measures to free us from Big Oil's
chokehold.


"John McCain should be ashamed of himself for promoting billions in
government giveaways to Big Oil while voting against protecting consumers
from price gouging at the pump.  John McCain: right for price-gougers,
wrong for America."



   John McCain voted AGAINST protecting consumers from price gouging during
   energy emergencies. (2005 Roll Call Vote #334)

   John McCain strongly OPPOSES a bill that would protect consumers from
   price gouging, crack down on speculators, repeal billions in government
   giveaways to Big Oil, and invest in renewable energy (S.2991,
   Consumer-First Act).

   John McCain's campaign is full of more than two-dozen Big Oil lobbyists,
   chief among them Nancy Pfotenhauer (Sr. Advisor), Wayne Berman (Finance
   Co-Chair), John Green (Capitol Hill liaison), and William Timmons
   (leader of the transition team).

   Berman and Green both were lobbyists for Chevron, Hess, and the American
   Petroleum Institute.  They both specifically lobbied against the Price
   Gouging Prevention Act.  Senate records show that from 2002-08, Berman
   brought in $1.1 million from API and Green brought in an additional $1.4
   million.


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Paid for by the Sierra Club Political Committee,                          
http://www.sierraclub.org/, and not authorized by any candidate or        
candidate's committee.                                                     
                                                            

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