Week in Review: 'This Ain't It,' Jay-Z, *****REPUBLICANS: BIG OIL PRICE RIGGING*****

Saturday, June 8, 2024 ■ The Week in Review 'This Ain't It': Pennsylvanians Slam Jay-Z's Roc Nation for School Voucher Push "An out-of-state billionaire is pairing with a suburban Philadelphia one to try to destroy public education," said one critic. By Jessica Corbett • Jun 7, 2024 Clarence Thomas Finally Reports Gifts He Says Were 'Inadvertently Omitted' From Disclosures "The fact that he omitted the plane to Indonesia and the yacht... leads me to believe he and I have very different interpretations of his disclosure responsibilities, and that's a problem," said one campaigner. By Brett Wilkins • Jun 7, 2024 Database Reveals 'Staggering' $6.6 Million in Gifts to Supreme Court Justices "The Supreme Court's gifts shouldn't be a secret—Congress must pass a binding code of ethics now," said one advocate. By Brett Wilkins • Jun 7, 2024 US Senate Hearing Highlights Impacts of 'Horrific Anti-Abortion Crusade' Sen. Patty Murray described the event as "a close accounting of the trauma Republicans are inflicting on women and families across our country, and the damage they are doing to basic reproductive healthcare." By Jessica Corbett • Jun 4, 2024 42 House Dems Help GOP Pass Bill Targeting ICC Officials Over Israel The ACLU warned the legislation would "harm free speech protections" and "undermine the rule of law and the independence of the ICC." By Brett Wilkins • Jun 4, 2024 Displaying Photos of Kids Starved by Israel, Sanders Explains Boycott of Netanyahu Speech Children are dying of malnutrition in Gaza as a "direct result of Netanyahu's policies," the Vermont senator said in a speech on the Senate floor. By Jake Johnson • Jun 4, 2024 Scalise Took $40K in Campaign Cash From PAC of CEO Accused of Oil Price Rigging "Big Oil CEOs are out for themselves and the politicians who support their quest to drill for profit at the expense of the American people," said a spokesperson for Accountable.US, which highlighted the donation. By Brett Wilkins • Jun 3, 2024 U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise received a $40,000 campaign donation from the political action committee of a Big Oil CEO who allegedly colluded with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to drive up energy prices, the watchdog Accountable.US noted Monday. Scalise (R-La.)—who has made opposing efforts to protect public lands from fossil fuel drilling a top legislative priority—took the money from the Williams Companies PAC, whose board includes Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield, who was accused last month by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of holding private conversations with the OPEC cartel in which he allegedly assured members that his company would throttle production, creating an artificial scarcity in a bid to boost oil prices. The majority leader ranks fourth among all House lawmakers in 2023-24 campaign contributions from oil and gas interests, according to the watchdog OpenSecrets. His $325,833 in Big Oil contributions trails only Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who took $572,421; former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who received $335,399; and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who got $328,019. "If Congressman Scalise wants to protect American consumers he should start by holding accountable Big Oil price gougers." "Big Oil CEOs are out for themselves and the politicians who support their quest to drill for profit at the expense of the American people," Accountable.US spokesperson Chris Marshall said in a statement Monday. "So if Congressman Scalise wants to protect American consumers he should start by holding accountable Big Oil price gougers." The FTC alleges in a complaint that "Sheffield has, through public statements and private communications, attempted to collude with the representatives of [OPEC] and a related cartel of other oil-producing countries known as OPEC+ to reduce output of oil and gas, which would result in Americans paying higher prices at the pump, to inflate profits for his company." The regulator subsequently barred Sheffield from joining the board of ExxonMobil, which bought Pioneer, over the alleged collusion. "Mr. Sheffield's past conduct makes it crystal clear that he should be nowhere near Exxon's boardroom," FTC Bureau of Competition Deputy Director Kyle Mach said in a statement last month. "American consumers shouldn't pay unfair prices at the pump simply to pad a corporate executive's pocketbook." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took to the upper chamber's floor Monday to reiterate his call for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Big Oil collusion and price fixing. "It's not hard to feel the frustration—the sheer exasperation—felt by millions when America's biggest oil companies rake in record profits but still raise prices at the pump. It is deeply, deeply unfair—and now we have reason to believe that in some cases it may be unlawful," the senator said. Schumer called the FTC allegations against Sheffield "very, very troubling." "This is what frustrates Americans so much about Big Oil: Even when they're making money hand over fist they'll keep raising prices on us, they will keep squeezing us for everything we've got," he said. "And now they may—may—have crossed the line into unlawful behavior." "So the DOJ needs to step in and determine if any laws against collusion or price-fixing have been broken," Schumer added. "At minimum, the American people deserve to know if Big Oil executives are conspiring with each other or with OPEC behind our backs to illegally raise prices at the pump." 'Time to Go for the Jugular': Climate Movement Has New Plan to Destroy Big Oil "We have an opportunity for 18 months to organize, to take out the oil and gas industry," said one environmental leader during a Sanders Institute event in Vermont. By Jessica Corbett • Jun 3, 2024 Invited by Congress, Outraged Critics Say Netanyahu 'Should Be Arrested on the Spot' "Perhaps," said one progressive critic, the Israeli prime minister "can be arrested for his war crimes on the Senate floor." By Jon Queally • Jun 1, 2024 VIEW ALL NEWS JOIN THE MOVEMENT As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. JOIN WITH US TODAY ■ Opinion We Are the Last Barrier to America Being Overwhelmed by Trump’s Fascist Tide It’s not too late to stop this madness, although that task is being made harder every day as gutless Republicans, a spineless national media, and collaborating billionaire donors fall into line. By Thom Hartmann • Jun 6, 2024 Chief Justice Roberts Ignores Republican Efforts to Shred the Rule of Law The GOP’s war on judges and juries, along with Justices Thomas’ and Alito’s naked partisanship, are shaking the foundations of the Constitution and American democracy. By Mitchell Zimmerman • Jun 6, 2024 Open Letter to Joe Biden on Behalf of Jewish Americans: Stop Sending Israel Offensive Weapons The continuation of violence will continue to increase the heart-wrenching death toll, increase the number of calls for a ceasefire, and decrease your poll numbers — straight through the election. By Jamie Beran • Jun 5, 2024 No, I Will Not Be Attending Netanyahu's Speech These children and thousands more are the direct result of Netanyahu’s policies—Netanyahu, the man Speaker Johnson has invited to address Congress. By Bernie Sanders • Jun 3, 2024 VIEW ALL OPINION Call 207.775.0488 to donate by phone or mail a check to: Common Dreams · PO Box 443 · Portland, ME 04112-0443 · USA Common Dreams is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your contribution is tax-deductible. EIN: 20-3368194