WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today joined with Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT) and a growing coalition of House Members to call on BP CEO Tony Hayward to suspend dividend payments and its public relations campaign until the environmental disaster in the Gulf is fully addressed.
“Instead of focusing on boosting the income of shareholders and its public image, BP should be putting all of its efforts into stopping the leak, capping the well, and cleaning up the Gulf,” said Delahunt. “As we pass Day 50 of the worst oil spill in America’s history, BP’s priority ought to be toward financing the clean-up and providing financial help to the people of the Gulf Coast.”
BP announced Tuesday morning that it would move forward with an annual $10 billion dividend payment announced a week after the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
According to press reports, the company has also launched a $50 million television advertisement campaign, along with full-page ads in major newspapers. The letter from House members was written in response to BP’s intention to move forward with a payment to shareholders.
In the letter, the Members criticized BP for diverting its resources away from the ongoing recovery effort and directing them to halt profit payouts and public relations campaigns. "We urge you to halt your planned dividend payout and cancel your advertising campaign until you have done the hard work of capping the well, cleaning up the Gulf Coast and making whole those whose very livelihoods are threatened by this catastrophe," the members wrote. "Not a moment before then should you return to business as usual."