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Anyone paying attention to the March on Washington ceremony on Wednesday would have noticed that not a single Republican was in sight.

The event was chock-full of Democratic leaders, former presidents and civil rights icons, but apparently all top Republicans declined their invitations, citing scheduling conflicts or health as reasons for not attending.

So it’s not surprising that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R) decided to skip out and met instead with oil and gas lobbyists in North Dakota. But it was his comment after the visit, where he toured drilling sites in the North Dakota Bakken, that was out of line.

Shots fired?

It must also be noted that Cantor, as well as many other Republicans, are experts at kissing the oil industry’s butt.

Unlike civil rights advocates, the oil and gas industry has deep pockets to attract Republican candidates. North Dakota Petroleum Council has major GOP industry donors sitting on its Board of Directors, including executives from ConocoPhillilps, Marathon Oil, and Continental Resources. For instance, Continental CEO Harold Hamm has donated millions of dollars to GOP super PACs.

Over the course of his congressional career, Cantor has received more than $600,000 from the oil and gas industry, while Republicans overall receive 90 percent of the oil industry’s federal contributions. The same lawmakers have repeatedly voted to uphold billions of dollars in industry subsidies.

Guess we all have priorities, eh? And we dare say Obama’s was much nobler.

SOURCE: Think Progress