... helping people in Massachusetts for years. But now they're expanding the effort to Maine and a number of other states, with help from a controversial source.
 
Citizens Energy is a non-profit organization started 27 years ago by Joe Kennedy, of the famous Massachusetts Kennedy family. For the first time, it's offering to sell reduced price oil to Mainers.

The program lets eligible Mainers buy oil from dealers for 60% of the list price. Citizens pay the dealer the difference.

But the money for the subsidy is provided by CITGO, which is owned by the government of Venezuela.

Venezuela is a socialist nation that often supports the policies of rival nations to the U.S. Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, ruffled the feathers of the Bush administration when he recently referred to the President as the Devil. Despite that, Governor Baldacci last year accepted $5 million from Citizens Energy, CITGO and Chavez to bolster Maine's LIHEAP program.

This year, the state is getting nothing. Citizens Energy is doing everything itself, working through oil dealers. Those LIHEAP clients are eligible, but have to apply and pay their share.

The Maine Oil Dealers Association says most of its members will probably take part by delivering oil ordered through citizens, despite their concerns about the politics that may be behind it.

The program is just starting. One major oil dealer told NEWS CENTER they have had no requests for deliveries yet. Citizens Energy is planning a big publicity event next week to tell Mainers who they are and why they're here.