Rep. Joe Barton apologized to BP chairman Tony Hayward for what he called a 'shakedown' from the White House for the $20 billion in funds to cover the likely expenses of the Gulf oil spill. Barton later apologized for the remarks. Here is the video:
"Speaking totally for myself, I'm not speaking for the Republican Party, I'm not speaking for anybody in the House of Representatives but myself; but I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I characterize as a shakedown."
Here is the apology issued by Rep. Barton:
"I apologize for using the term 'shakedown' with regard to yesterday's actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I retract my apology to BP," Barton said in a statement. "As I told my colleagues yesterday and said again this morning, BP should bear the full financial responsibility for the accident on their lease in the Gulf of Mexico. "I regret the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident."