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From Financial Reform to BP: Latest Media Hits Round-up

Once again Public Citizen had a busy week making news around the country and the world. Last week, Public Citizen and Center for Responsive Politics published a report saying that at least 56 industry lobbyists have served on the personal staffs of the 43 Senate and House members who are responsible for the last part of the financial reform bill. The report was then featured in extensive amounts of media coverage from The Associated Press to local television media such as WJLA Washington DC.  The coverage of the financial reform also extended to Pacifica’s Free Speech Radio News where Robert Weissman was interviewed about the reform bill.

While Tony Hayward appeared in Washington to face congress KCRW radio asked Tyson Slocum, is Washington being tough enough on BP? Tyson was also featured in and NPR story about BP having to face possible sanctions for the oil spill disaster. CBS News mentioned Public Citizen’s call to Obama to end the nation’s business dealings with BP. The call to “debar” asked by Public Citizen was also featured in a story by Bloomberg’s Business Week. Tyson Slocum was featured in the story:

“This is a company that does not learn its lesson,” Slocum says. He says individual sanctions haven’t changed BP’s history of violating environmental and safety laws, and he thinks the government should throw the book at the company.”

The Washington Post also featured an editorial by Courtland Milloy in which he supported and talked about Public Citizen’s call to boycott BP. He wrote

“Everybody ought to heed the call by the Washington-based consumer watchdog group Public Citizen to boycott BP filling stations.”

The boycott also made headlines on Fox News Washington and in an Asia Times story called “Kick Ass or Buy Gas.”

Public Citizen’s Health Research group has also been making headlines this week. Dr. Sid Wolfe was featured in an article for the OC Register about Botox maker Allergan off label use of the drug. Wolfe was quoted saying

“What is the point of having the FDA involved if a company can get a drug approved for one indication and then promote it for other ones?” he asked. “Children have died because doctors didn’t know what the right dose was.”

Other headline’s PC has made this week included The Hill’s article on the Disclose Act, A Lousiana newspaper (thetowntalk.com) article about Louisiana lawmakers and climate controlled legislation, and a Washington Post article about the NRA and groups seeking to over ride the disclose act.