Ann Kirkpatrick - for Arizona

Kirkpatrick Slams Taxpayer Giveaways As Oil Execs Post Record Profits

Prescott, AZ - Today, former representative Ann Kirkpatrick, Democratic frontrunner in the race to represent Arizona's 1st Congressional District, released the following statement in reaction to the historic second-quarter profits by Big Oil executives.

"It is simply wrong that oil executives continue to take advantage of Arizona's families struggling to afford gas and groceries," said former Rep. Kirkpatrick. "We need to make price gouging a criminal offense and crack down on the Wall Street speculators who are driving up gas prices."

However, even though Big Oil is posting historic profits and reaping the benefit of skyrocketing oil prices, Congress had approved billions and billions for some of the world's largest oil companies.

"This is just the latest example of why Washington needs a wake-up call," continued Kirkpatrick. "Nobody with any common sense can justify giving billions in taxpayer dollars to companies already earning the largest quarterly profits of any U.S. corporation in American history. Congress should be redirecting this money to give relief to working families and to invest in solar and wind power that will create good paying jobs right here in Arizona."

"I'm running for Congress because we need to change Washington so that it gets back to working for the people," concluded Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick has made energy independence and job creation through investment in renewable energy a central platform in her campaign for Congress. In the state legislature, she voted for tax credits to promote solar energy and she sponsored legislation that would facilitate homeowners installing solar energy devices.

BACKGROUND

Thursday morning, Exxon Mobil announced its second-quarter earnings rose nearly 14% to $11.68 billion, the biggest quarterly profit ever by any U.S. corporation. The oil company's revenue rose 40% to $138.1 billion from $98.4 billion in the year-earlier quarter.

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Former State Representative Ann Kirkpatrick is a former legislator, county prosecutor, small business owner, mother and a community leader who served as President of the Northern Arizona United Way. Born in McNary, Kirkpatrick is a native of rural Arizona and has lived and worked in this state all her life.