Politics: Pat Robertson asks liberal Democrat to help him open oil refinery
By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press WASHINGTON (June 27, 2001 6:51 p.m. EDT) - Christian conservative Pat Robertson is enlisting a liberal Democratic senator to help him open a California oil refinery, claiming Big Oil is frustrating his efforts to obtain financing to open the refinery. Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition and a staunch supporter of President Bush, wrote Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., recently suggesting the two might join in rooting out anti-competitive practices among the major oil companies. Noting some internal oil industry documents Wyden recently made public, Robertson suggested that his experience in trying to start up the Powerine Refinery near Santa Fe Springs, Calif., might provide the senators with additional fodder for investigation. At the same time, wrote Robertson, some of Wyden's findings might "provide the basis of a serious antitrust suit against the (oil industry) majors" by his refinery company. The unusual alliance of Robertson, the conservative Republican evangelist and broadcaster, and Wyden, viewed as among the most liberal members of the Senate, was moving to another level Thursday when the two plan a joint news conference to take on the oil companies. "I would be the first to say that this is not an alliance you see every day," said Wyden in an interview. But he said it shows that oil industry competition "isn't a partisan issue." President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney frequently have cited the lack of refinery capacity as a reason behind high gas prices and sporadic shortages but have also maintained there is no evidence of collusion or anti-competitive activities. In the June 15 letter to Wyden, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, Robertson disagrees. "The uphill fight of a tiny independent against the behemoths controlling the oil industry has been extraordinarily difficult over these several years and has cost, in the process, tens of millions of dollars," wrote Robertson. He complained that his attempts to restart the California refinery have been "stymied" by unnamed oil companies, including one executive who allegedly told a bank official that his oil company would take its business elsewhere if it financed Robertson's project. "We were told that the head of a major oil company had sent word to the bank that if it helped finance the restart of the Powerine Refinery that the oil company would possibly withdraw its business," wrote Robertson. In a telephone interview, Robertson said that he knew the name of the oil company referred to by the bank official but did not want to reveal it, fearing a possible defamation lawsuit. But he reiterated, "The (oil industry) majors have been trying to frustrate our efforts." Robertson's family trust purchased the Powerine Refinery in 1998 using money from the sale of some of the Robertson family broadcasting interests. The refinery closed in 1995, and Robertson has been seeking bank financing to reopen it ever since, renaming it Cenco Refining Co. Robertson called the Cenco refinery "the most environmentally friendly refinery in the entire United States" with numerous pollution control improvements. Last January, the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department reached an agreement with Cenco for installation of "cutting edge air pollution controls, reducing emissions up to 85 percent," according to an EPA announcement. It is designed to produce cleaner gasoline required by the California Air Resources Board. Robertson, in the interview, expressed confidence he will get financing for the refinery. "The economic climate (for energy companies) on Wall Street is better now," said Robertson. "If the majors won't oppose us, we'll have it financed and up and running." Wyden said Robertson's experience shows that despite industry denials, there are actions being taken today, when there is a need for more refinery capacity, to keep independent refiners from operating. "This is one of the cleanest refineries around and it's having difficulty getting into the business," said Wyden. The Powerine Refinery was the subject of an internal 1996 Mobil Oil Co. memo that was made public, along with other industry documents, by Wyden earlier this month in support of his allegations that major oil companies have been key in driving independents out of business. Exxon Mobil has strongly denied it had tried to keep the small California refinery from reopening in 1996, although the memo referred to the need for "a full court press" on the matter and that it would be in the best interest of Mobil "to see Powerine stay down." Robertson, although declining to name the company mentioned by the bank official as trying to exert pressure, said it was a company other than Mobil. |
