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FANWOOD – First the Lance campaign had to rely on a George Bush fundraising bailout in September. Now comes word that the Lance campaign has accepted a $5,000 check from Exxon Mobil, the corporation that is reaping the most profits off the back of New Jerseyans paying for high gas prices.

As New Jersey families struggle with skyrocketing gas prices and looming home heating costs, Leonard Lance shockingly accepted $5,000 from Exxon Mobil yesterday, as reported in his FEC report. Exxon Mobil set a record last year with a staggering $40 billion in profits with another $11 billion for the first three months of 2008.

“No wonder why Leonard Lance never bothers to even mention the oil companies obscene tax breaks and subsidies in his so-called ‘energy plan.’ He shows yet again why he’s just another Big Oil Republican following George Bush’s disastrous energy policies that have left New Jerseyans struggling to afford their upcoming heating bills and filling their gas tanks,” said Irene Lin, Stender communications director.

Lin also noted the late timing of the contribution. “Leonard Lance thought he could take dirty cash from Exxon Mobil and hope and pray consumers getting gouged wouldn’t notice,” said Lin. “Exxon Mobil has practically written the Bush energy policies that have fueled our dependency on foreign oil for the past eight years, while also blocking progress on global warming at every point. We desperately need Linda Stender to enact real change in Washington to finally achieve energy independence. We can’t afford Leonard Lance continuing the Big Oil legacy of George Bush.”

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BACKGROUND

Lance Accepted $5,000 Maximum from Exxon Mobil on October 23, 2008. [Lance Campaign 48 Hour FEC Report, 10/23/08]

Bush Administration Admits Exxon Mobil Reason why Rejected Kyoto Agreement. Public records showed briefing papers given before climate change meetings to the US under-secretary of state, Paula Dobriansky, between 2001 and 2004, thanking Exxon executives for the company’s “active involvement” in helping to determine climate change policy, and also seeking its advice on what climate change policies the company might find acceptable. [Guardian, 6/8/05]

Paid for by Linda Stender for Congress