Joe Barton

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Rep. Barton After Nude Pic Leaks: 'It's Time to Step Aside'

Texas congressman says he won't run for 18th term

(Newser) - "I've been listening to a lot of people the last week in Texas," Rep. Joe Barton says. "There are enough people who lost faith in me that it’s time to step aside." The longtime Republican congressman told the Dallas Morning News on Thursday...

Rep. Barton Threatened to Call Police on Former Lover

He says he may be victim of 'revenge porn'

(Newser) - Rep. Joe Barton threatened to call the police on a former lover who contacted other women he was in relationships with and sent them explicit materials he had shared with her, according to a recording provided to the Washington Post . In the 2015 phone call, the Texas Republican tells the...

Anonymous Twitter Account Circulates Nude Photo of Congressman

Rep. Joe Barton is apologizing

(Newser) - Texas Congressman Joe Barton apologized on Wednesday after a nude photo of him circulated on social media, the AP reports. Barton issued a statement saying that while separated from his second wife, prior to their divorce in 2015, he had sexual relationships "with other mature adult women." The...

It's Over: House Passes Senate-Backed Deal

Obama signs bill: We need to stop 'governing by crisis'

(Newser) - Federal workers, prepare to rejoin the morning commute. The Senate tonight passed its bill to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling by a vote of 81-18, the AP reports; the House backed the bill 285-144, just hours before the Treasury would have lost its authority to borrow...

Lawmakers Want FTC to Investigate Facebook

Letter cites more privacy concerns over tracking of cookies

(Newser) - Two longtime critics of Facebook on Capitol Hill want the FTC to investigate the company over new privacy allegations, reports Politico . Democrat Ed Markey and Republican Joe Barton sent their letter after an Australian blogger reported that Facebook keeps collecting data on users even after they are logged out. Gawker...

We Must Deal With Global Warming: Scientists
We Must Deal With Global Warming: Scientists
new report
May 13, 2011 11:40 AM CDT

We Must Deal With Global Warming: Scientists

America's Climate Choices calls for immediate federal action

(Newser) - Global warming is very real and needs to be addressed now, says a report issued yesterday by the National Academy of Sciences. “The risks associated with doing business as usual are a much greater concern than the risks associated with engaging in ambitious but measured response efforts,” says...

Joe Barton's Office Deletes Triumphant Tweet

An aide takes blame; senator keeps committee post

(Newser) - Joe Barton found himself having to backtrack again today, but this time it seems an aide is to blame. The chain of events goes like this: Barton apologized to fellow Republicans for his BP apology mess, then learned he'd get to keep his spot as ranking Republican on a plum...

Rand Paul: Let Joe Barton Explain Himself

Limbaugh, others say 'shakedown' is accurate term

(Newser) - Rand Paul's been in enough hot water lately, so he stops short of endorsing Joe Barton's infamous apology to BP. But he feels his pain, notes Think Progress . "I don't know about that," he said when asked about the statement. "I don't want to pile on him...

Stewart Tears Into Joe Barton

Apologizing to BP is like defending Jeffrey Dahmer

(Newser) - Jon Stewart turned his attention once more to the Gulf spill, or, as he likes to call it, Day 59 of the Strife Aquatic—which means he naturally had to rip into Joe Barton and his mea culpa , which Stewart likened to saying something as sensible as: "It pains...

GOP Leaders Ordered Barton to Apologize, 'Immediately'

Boehner, Cantor laid down the law

(Newser) - So what prompted Joe Barton's quick retraction of his apology to BP ? A sincere change of heart, maybe. Or it could have been the meeting with House GOP leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor, who told him, "Apologize, immediately. Or you will lose your (committee) position, immediately,"...

Barton Retracts Apology to BP

Texas Republican regrets use of word 'shakedown'

(Newser) - Well that was fast. The Tony Hayward grilling hasn't even finished in Congress, and Joe Barton already is walking back his earlier apology to BP . "I apologize for using the term 'shakedown' with regard to yesterday's actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I...

Fellow GOP Congressman Wants Barton Off Panel

Florida lawmaker blasts apology to BP

(Newser) - A fellow Republican has called on Joe Barton to step down from the House Energy Committee for apologizing to BP's CEO. Rep. Jeff Miller, who represents the Pensacola district of Florida—one of the areas most affected by the Gulf oil spill—said Barton's conciliatory comments to Tony Hayward "...

Joe Barton's BP Apology Could Be 'Game-Changing'

Pundits Think Democrats Have a Line of Attack

(Newser) - GOP congressman Joe Barton's apology to BP remains the buzz of the day. See earlier summary here and a video of his statement in the gallery:
  • Greg Sargent, Plum Line : "The challenge for Dems, though, is to elevate the story beyond Barton's ridiculous comments and build a larger narrative
...

Hayward Faces Down Lawmakers, Protesters
 Hayward Faces Down 
 Lawmakers, Protesters 
UPDATED
Jun 17, 2010 10:46 AM CDT

Hayward Faces Down Lawmakers, Protesters

Will say he grasps 'the terrible reality'

(Newser) - Tony Hayward went to Capitol Hill to take his lumps today, and Democrats, at least, delivered them. Henry Waxman praised the BP boss for setting up a $20 billion clean-up fund, but then slammed him for his safety record. When Hayward took his job he said he’d focus “...

GOP Rep. Apologizes to Hayward, BP for $20B Fund

Calls White House pressure a '20B Shakedown'

(Newser) - While other congressmen were heaping abuse on BP CEO Tony Hayward in this morning's hearings, one Republican abruptly shifted gears in his opening remarks and apologized to the man in the hot seat. Rep. Joe Barton told Hayward he was "ashamed" of the pressure the White House put on...

House Panel: Kill College's BCS System

Subcommittee passes measure aimed at pushing playoff system

(Newser) - Lots of people hate the BCS college football system, and now a House panel does, too. Rep. Joe Barton of Texas pushed the anti-BCS measure through an Energy and Commerce subcommittee today. It would prevent college football officials from calling any game a "national championship" unless it's the result...

GOP Legislators Dominate Twitter —but Does It Matter?

Republicans have more followers, but benefits are unclear

(Newser) - If you think Twitter is the preserve of skinny-jeaned urbanites, think again; in the corridors of power, Republican microbloggers are leading the way. Politico reports that 101 GOP members of Congress have Twitter accounts to only 57 Democrats, and Republican legislators posted 932 messages over two weeks this summer—nearly...

Congressman Draws Fire for Sniping at Bush

Calif. lawmaker refuses to back off jab about 'president's amusement'

(Newser) - Rep. Pete Stark introduced President Bush's foreign policy into yesterday's SCHIP debate, setting off a raging controversy. The California Democrat’s reference to "kids" going to war to "get their heads blown off for the president's amusement" enraged some and inspired others. House Republicans called the speech “...

Bill Targets Reps' Gas Guzzlers
Bill Targets Reps' Gas Guzzlers
Sep 4, 2007 4:03 PM CDT

Bill Targets Reps' Gas Guzzlers

Bid to strip Congress of guzzlers by revoking leasing dollars

(Newser) - The environmental movement might just be trickling up: The House of Representatives has approved an energy bill amendment that would bar members from leasing gas guzzlers with taxpayer money. The proposal still faces some roadblocks, McClatchy reports, including its vague definition of emissions standards and the efforts of a top...

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