BP's controversial plan to increase waste discharges into Lake Michigan has prompted proposals to halt the project, threats of lawsuits and a possible ban of BP credit cards by some Chicago aldermen.
As the list of dissenters grows, do outspoken lawmakers see refusing future BP campaign donations as an effective way to drive home their disdain?
A Times analysis of state and federal campaign disclosure records shows that region politicians, including those denouncing BP's plans, have received political money from the company.
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., urged Indiana officials last month to reconsider BP's loosened wastewater permit.
The company has given Visclosky's campaign committee at least $6,500 since 1998.
Visclosky spokesman Justin Kitsch said there's no correlation between donations and Visclosky's congressional actions.
Kitsch did not say whether Visclosky would give up BP funds in his fight to keep the lake clean and said the congressman is most effective when pushing talks with politicians, industry and environmental officials, as he has in recent weeks.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has called approval of BP's permit disappointing, and in a statement last week said, "BP is earning record profits and surely can afford state-of-the-art water treatment technology to better protect water quality and the environment."
Blagojevich received $9,100 from the company between 1997 and 2005.
"That discussion just hasn't happened yet," Blagojevich campaign spokesman Doug Scofield said of possibly declining future BP campaign contributions. "It's possible."
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who has spoken out strongly against BP's discharge proposal, last received BP money in 2001, bringing his total to $3,000, according to records.
Michael Daly, Durbin's campaign manager, said officials have not discussed refusing any future BP dollars.
John Rowan, political and business ethics professor at Purdue University Calumet, said lax campaign finance rules -- and not necessarily politicians -- should be criticized for donation conflicts of interest.
Lawmakers accepting money with potential conflicts might consider no longer doing so, he said. Halting BP donations could pay off more in public relations than in their relatively small amounts.
"The potential gain may not be as immediately obvious," he said. "But it's significant."
