Giuliani Firm Has Tangential Chavez Ties

(AP)  Rudy Giuliani's law firm has received $100,000 to $200,000 since 2005 to lobby Texas legislators on behalf of Citgo Petroleum Corp., a Houston-based oil company ultimately controlled by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Records with the Texas Ethics Commission show that Shannon H. Ratliff II, an attorney with Bracewell & Giuliani of Houston, has been registered to lobby the state legislature for Citgo since April 2005. But David McCollum, a spokesman for Citgo, said the company has had a lobbying contract with the law firm since the mid-1990s, when it was named Bracewell & Patterson.

"I think the only reason this is coming out is because this is a political year and Mr. Giuliani's name is on the law firm," McCollum said. "But Mr. Giuliani has no personal involvement in this at all. ... If this weren't a political year, this would get no attention at all."

Giuliani, a former New York mayor, is the front-runner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

Although Citgo Petroleum is a U.S.-based company, it was bought in 1990 by Petroleos de Venezuela, the national oil company of Venezuela. The Bush administration has criticized Chavez as being uncooperative in the global war on terrorism.

Chavez has become President Bush's most strident critic in Latin America, denouncing the president as "the devil."

Giuliani's campaign said the candidate does no lobbying for Citgo.

"Mayor Giuliani believes Hugo Chavez is not a friend of the United States, and his influence continues to grow because of our increasing reliance on foreign sources of oil," Maria Comella, a campaign spokeswoman, said in a statement. "As the mayor has consistently stated, the development of alternative fuels is a priority that demands a solution in order to ensure the United States energy independence."

McCollum noted that Citgo Petroleum Corp. employs nearly 4,000 employees in Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Georgia and New Jersey. More than 1,200 of those employees are in Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas, requiring the company to pay close attention to the actions of the Texas legislature.

"We're in the business of running a business," McCollum said. "And any big business in the state of Texas is going to be concerned about issues that come up in the state legislature that would impact their business. ... As far as international politics, we leave that to the politicians."

[sjc_1]

Chavez was giving discounted heating oil to the poor in this country while Bush was cutting back assistance for heating to the poor in this country. I leave it to reasonable people to decide who has more compassion for the poor.

[randalds]

Actually I'd go out of my way to buy Citgo products, but they're not much available here in L.A. I applaud Chavez for his contributions of much needed fuel oil to American poor in the North-East because it filled a need that used to have a government program for, but that Bush had slashed to the bone to help pay for his war of profit in Iraq. I certainly hope Chavez will continue to use his control of Citgo to benefit Americans that Bush is ignoring to the point of them freezing to death without Chavez's help. Bravo to you sir!

[figuy30]

don't use citgo products. i would'nt take them if they were free. if they were the last gasoline company on the face of the earth i'd walk. we don't need chavez. he needs us. what is citgo's profit margin anyway? do you think that maybe their expenses to lobby their products might be passed on to the consumer? i'm sure that giuliani's law firm would'nt mislead america just for a few bucks????

[j-whitman]

Rudy,,,, The cross dressing, terror profiteering example the New Republican Democracy in America -- He's leading the GOP - ROTFLOL

[forthepeaple]

I was once proud to be american and proud to say i i'm a vet,now i just want out.You all in congress and capital hill and white house should be working for america and the americans that elected you to protect us,that isn't the case and i know why. I have been looking and found something that all america has forgotton.Who said this statement: If the personal freedoms of all americans by the Constitution and bill of right are Inhibiting the Government ability to (Govern)that meant control, the people of united states of america..Than we Should look to Limit those GUARANTEES #2.The united states Government CAN'T BE so fixed on our desires to preserve the RIGHTS of ORDINARY AMERICANS #3.I can do any ********* thing i want,I'm president of the united states and you dont forget that.....who am I..... so you all have been following your orders well i want you all to know that i hold all of you accountable for the murders of thousends of americans that have died and wounded in a war we have no buisness being in, you all are makeing large sums of money on americans lives and you all will pay a big price for that someday,heavens gates will never open its golden gates to you.. i hope someday that america and true americans will wake up and see that this washington crime family has sold our country to the highest bidders, china being # 1 and is # 1 in the world now, they are the supper powers of the world now. THANKS..DAVID A BELANGER,FOR AMERICANS FOR AMERICA,AT [e-mail]

[sero5]

Too bad the Federal Trade Commission allowed Venezuela to buyout Citgo from the Southland Corp. back in 1986 and 1990. Poor Giuliani.

[randalds]

Giuliani is buddies with Chavez.
Posted by jh6379 at 07:54 AM : Mar 16, 2007

If that were true it'd certainly make me much more likely to vote for him.

[randalds]

Giuliani is buddies with Chavez.
Posted by jh6379 at 07:54 AM : Mar 16, 2007

If that were true it'd certainly make me much more likely to vote for him.

[agnim]

"Giuliani Firm Has Tangential Chavez Ties"

AND EXXON MOBILE and other US oil companies have what kind of a tie with Venezuela? LOL

[us_infidel]

Bad wars, massive debt, fraud, ignoring the constitution, leaking classified info, all for politcal gain. But all that is OK apparently. Maybe GWB needs to get a BJ in the White House before it becomes serious enough for Republicans to react.

Posted by Rafterman1 at 07:39 AM : Mar 16, 2007

That's all you libs have....DailyKoz rhetoric. No proof, no evidence, just talk. Your daily dose of MoveOver.org is probably coming due.