So...Shell and Chevron among others have been soliciting sexual favors from 15 - 20 members of the Dept of the Interior (READ: OIL) but it is OK according to Randall Luthi because "the public had not suffered financial losses as a result of the employees' behavior." And besides, MMS head Luthi said only "six or seven" employees named in the report still work for the department.

It's an election year so the Democrats are not slow to respond:
"Democrats used the report to accuse President Bush's administration of being too close to the oil industry.

"The Bush administration put an 'America for Sale' sign on the White House lawn from day one and has been courting Big Oil ever since," Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-New York and chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, said in a written statement. "Democrats have been saying it for some time, but this proves it. This administration is literally in bed with Big Oil. Little did we know they were such a cheap date."

Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, said the report should make Congress reconsider plans to expand offshore drilling.

"The rest of the United States government doesn't need to jump in bed with" the oil industry, he said.

Meantime, we, the American Public, are trying to figure out how we are going to pay for oil this winter.

I am lucky enough to have some room on my credit cards. Others will go without or turn to charity. Some will get by just fine. OK. But will any of these criminals ever be forced to pay a just amount for their crimes? Will the companies involved be banned from government contracts?

I hate them all.

The complete article is here:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/10/oiil.scandal/index.html