Mayor White Has Major Stake in Barnett Shale Production Company
This article originally appears at:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2010
Mayor White Has Major Stake in Barnett Shale Production Company
Maybe That's Why Mayor White Won't Support a Moratorium on Drilling
HOUSTON- In last night's debate, Mayor White refused to join Farouk Shami in calling for a moratorium on drilling in the Barnett Shale. This comes even after acknowledging the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has found widespread instances of well sites with massively elevated levels of the cancer causing chemical benzene.
Mayor Bill White's last financial disclosure might hint at a reason why. He has at least $2.2 million dollars invested in oil and gas stocks, with a substantial position in the giant Exxon Mobile. Exxon Mobile recently acquired XTO, one of the largest producers of natural gas in the Barnett Shale.
Farouk responds, "It's disturbing to think Mayor White's conflict of interest could be putting people's lives at risk. I call on him to sell his shares in this company and finally call for a moratorium on drilling, before it's too late."
Farouk also called on Mayor White to publically admit exactly how much money he has invested in companies that produce natural gas in the Barnett Shale. Furthermore, he called on Mayor White to return any campaign contribution from special interests and people who work for companies that produce natural gas in the shale.
"This is just politics as usual, claiming to support our environment on one hand but yet owning shares of the very company that's ruining it. It's a conflict of interest at best and utter hypocrisy at worst. Texans deserve better."
Farouk Shami is self financing his campaign to avoid these special interest ties. As Governor, he will stand up to these companies and force them to clean up their act before they're allowed to continue drilling.
Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/17620832/BillWhite1of3
- 30 -
