Energy

Taking on Koch Industries in Times Sq.

October 13, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

If you walk through the heart of Times Square today and look up at the 520 sq. ft. CBS superscreen on 42nd St., you're going to be introduced to the largest oil company you've never heard of: Koch Industries.

Valero Energy and Its California Profit Pipeline

October 12, 2010  ·  Judy Dugan

A review of profit, shareholder and government reports from the last decade show that Valero reaped extraordinary profits from its refining operations in the Golden...

A Fee To Pay Your Bill? Yep

October 5, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Mortgage lenders and utility providers are charging customers as much as $20 to pay by phone.</strong> <p> "People pay for a product or service," said Doug Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica advocacy group. "They shouldn't have to pay again just for the right to pay them." He said most businesses already factor in their operating costs in the prices they charge customers. "Companies that make you pay to pay your bill are basically charging you twice," Heller said. "They build everything into their price for a product or service, and then they break it out again as a fee. "It's deceptive," he said. "And it's not fair." </p> <p>   </p>

California Tea Party Activists Work to Pass Proposition 23

October 4, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> The tea party is often characterized as a grass-roots movement. But some consumer advocates say the involvement of tea party activists in the Yes on 23 campaign appears to be highly orchestrated. "When I see senior citizens out on the street corner holding 'Thank You Valero' signs, it just doesn't jibe," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. "Clearly the tea party is being used, and they are becoming the ground army for the oil refineries. Senior citizens would not come out to defend Valero unless there's some formal structure to get them out there." </p>

Oil Watchdog: BP Safety Chief: Big talk, but what else?

September 29, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

BP executives can’t seriously believe that this time they’ll get safety right. The company’s penny-pinching “safety be damned” culture is too entrenched to reverse -- especially if you put the old vice-president of excuses in charge of the new plan. BP’s new CEO Robert Dudley announced a sweeping overhaul of its safety division Wednesday, yet put the company’s current Vice President for Safety and Operations, Mark Bly, in charge.

Oil Watchdog: Fiorina joins the Koch-heads. Ka-ching!

September 23, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

There’s a name that’s becoming as ubiquitous in dirty oil politics as Coke cans are in greasy spoons. And it’s pronounced like the soft drink, but spelled Koch. Koch-heads now on the radar include Carly Fiorina, the Tea Party and Proposition 23.

Oil Watchdog: Big Oil behind the Tea

September 22, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

When Californians angry about oil companies' attempt to repeal the state's greenhouse gas emission cap went to confront the oil refiner behind Prop 23's power play, they found the Tea Party in their way.

Consumer Protection Czar Analysis

September 20, 2010  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> Elizabeth Warren has been named the new so-called consumer protection czar and is being touted as the answer to runaway Wall Street practices. But some in Congress say they're being silenced. Mark Calabria, Director of Financial Regulation Studies at the CATO institute, and Carmen Balber who is the Washington Director Of Consumer Watchdog, joined us with more. </p>

Oil Watchdog: Big Oil’s “jobs” echo chamber

September 16, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

It’s amazing how oil companies stay so completely on message. The American Petroleum Institute, the oil industry mouthpiece, is pushing the same deceptive “jobs, jobs, jobs” message as the Texas oil companies backing Proposition 23 on the California ballot. Both are saying that any shift toward greener energy that costs the oil industry a dime will trash American jobs.

Oil Watchdog: Oil industry gusher: lobbying expenses

September 16, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Did you ever find yourself a little overbooked, wondering how you can be at two or three places at once? Well, that’s never happened to the oil industry. In 2009, the oil and gas industry had 782 lobbyists working the halls of Congress and the Obama administration, according to a recent analysis by OpenSecrets.org. That means there were one and a half lobbyists for every single member of the House and Senate. Or, as Consumer Watchdog’s DC Director describes it, the oil guys are everywhere, always.

Mad as hell, but don’t want to join the Tea Party?

September 15, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> The Tea Party is on a roll with its upset Senate primary victory in Delaware. If the rest of us don't start raising hell, the Tea Party will have us living it. </p>

Oil Watchdog: Natural gas — Not safe, and not all that green

September 15, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The way natural gas promoters talk about their pet fuel, you’d think it was green as clover and safe as baby oil. After the deadly San Bruno, California, gas line explosion, however, hawkers like natural gas billionaire T. Boone Pickens have gone silent. No more calls to action and pleas to phone your member of Congress to demand bigger subsidies.