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Feds open criminal probe of Gulf oil spill

danarhea

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PORT FOURCHON, La. — Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that federal authorities have opened criminal and civil investigations into the nation's worst oil spill, and BP lost billions in market value when shares dropped in the first trading day since the company failed yet again to plug the gusher.
Investors presumably realized the best chance to stop the leak was months away and there was no end in sight to the cleanup. As BP settled in for the long-term, Holder announced the criminal probe, though he would not specify the companies or individuals that might be targeted.
"We will closely examine the actions of those involved in the spill. If we find evidence of illegal behavior, we will be extremely forceful in our response," Holder said in New Orleans.

I believe that I am about to take a very unpopular position here, but I take this position because of logic, not emotion.

OK, civil investigations? I can go with that. BP cut a lot of corners, misled the public, and in general, acted like complete douche bags. Sue them.

But for the criminal investigations, I have some questions. Which laws of the land did BP violate? Did they commit perjury by lying under oath? Did they offer any kind of hush money to keep the extent of the spill secret? Doesn't look like it to me.

I have a strong feeling that this is not so much about finding out if BP broke the law, but to mitigate the political damage to Obama over this incident, and also to have a scapegoat to point at. Yes, BP needs to be held accountable for the damage they caused, and made to pay a price, but a witch hunt of any kind is going to be detrimental to finding a solution that will keep this from ever happening again.

I will follow the discussion here, as I put on my flame proof suit. :mrgreen:

Article is here.
 
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The seal was supposed to close after the explosion. However, the seal broke.

BP is a lot of things right now, but I have a hard time with the word "criminal", just as you do. It implies that this was intentional, calculated, and malicious. And as big of an f-up as this is, I don't find it to be any of those.

Those who hate oil companies will want to see these people hanging from a rope. First, I just want to see people clean this up the best we can until we can seal it. How do we get it out of the water? That's what I want figured out. We'll dole out the blame and punishment later.
 
I would be very surprised if actual criminal charges resulted from this. That being said, it's a great political move to divert criticism away from Obama and make him look tough.
 
cleanup, no

sue, yes

actually, from msm reports it appears the epa and mms screwed up as bad as anyone, all those exemptions and permits expedited...

presidential priorities, malia knows, should be:

1. stop the leak

2. contain and cleanup the damage

3. make things right

not with this crew

unbelievable

42 days, 16 hours, 7 minutes, 35 seconds...

where's the CLEANUP, mr president?

why are you WAITING, what for?

why do you PUBLICIZE this political prosecution, instead?

pathetic
 
where's the CLEANUP, mr president?
This isn't some spilled wine on a carpet. You can't clean up this kind of mess over night. This oil spill is the size of a state. If you have any plan on how to actually realistically clean it up give it to us.
 
I believe that I am about to take a very unpopular position here, but I take this position because of logic, not emotion.

OK, civil investigations? I can go with that. BP cut a lot of corners, misled the public, and in general, acted like complete douche bags. Sue them.

But for the criminal investigations, I have some questions. Which laws of the land did BP violate? Did they commit perjury by lying under oath? Did they offer any kind of hush money to keep the extent of the spill secret? Doesn't look like it to me.

I have a strong feeling that this is not so much about finding out if BP broke the law, but to mitigate the political damage to Obama over this incident, and also to have a scapegoat to point at. Yes, BP needs to be held accountable for the damage they caused, and made to pay a price, but a witch hunt of any kind is going to be detrimental to finding a solution that will keep this from ever happening again.

I will follow the discussion here, as I put on my flame proof suit. :mrgreen:

Article is here.

I doubt serious charges will be filed and I doubt there was serious criminal malfeasence. Still, this could be the worst environmental disaster in US history - it's worth investigating.

The seal was supposed to close after the explosion. However, the seal broke.

BP is a lot of things right now, but I have a hard time with the word "criminal", just as you do. It implies that this was intentional, calculated, and malicious. And as big of an f-up as this is, I don't find it to be any of those.

It's definitely possible that BP is guilty of negligence
 
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how 'bout we, umm...

GET STARTED

where's the NATIONAL MOBILIZATION

where's the EXCITEMENT for CLEANING

the ENTHUSIASM

WE CAN DO THIS!

SI SE PUEDE!

the presidential putz hasn't even MENTIONED the WORD

he's too busy fundraising, going on vacation, going on marv albert, going to state dinners, playing hoops with the blue devils...

he still hasn't TALKED to a FISHERMAN

a HOTEL OWNER

a BOOKING AGENT

he was in an out of the gulf in 3 hours friday, so eager to get back to chicago, his kind of town

but his team, a bunch of lawyers, reveals their instinct, their proclivity...

pathetic

obama is gonna get SKEWERED for not appearing to be ON the cleanup, 42 days, 17 hours...

he just doesn't get it
 
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how 'bout we, umm...

GET STARTED

where's the NATIONAL MOBILIZATION

where's the EXCITEMENT for CLEANING

the ENTHUSIASM

WE CAN DO THIS!

SI SE PUEDE!

the presidential putz hasn't even MENTIONED the WORD

he's too busy fundraising, going on vacation, going on marv albert, going to state dinners, playing hoops with the blue devils...

he still hasn't TALKED to a FISHERMAN

a HOTEL OWNER

a BOOKING AGENT

Have you been living under a rock, or have you intentionally been blocking out that most of those things ARE happening. And what word has he not mentioned? He's talked about cleaning up the oil spill, about the effects it has had, there has been national mobilization, there are volunteers, etc. These things you think aren't happening ARE.
 
how 'bout we, umm...

GET STARTED

where's the NATIONAL MOBILIZATION

where's the EXCITEMENT for CLEANING

the ENTHUSIASM

WE CAN DO THIS!

SI SE PUEDE!

the presidential putz hasn't even MENTIONED the WORD

he's too busy fundraising, going on vacation, going on marv albert, going to state dinners, playing hoops with the blue devils...

he still hasn't TALKED to a FISHERMAN

a HOTEL OWNER

a BOOKING AGENT

he was in an out of the gulf in 3 hours friday, so eager to get back to chicago, his kind of town

but his team, a bunch of lawyers, reveals their instinct, their proclivity...

pathetic

obama is gonna get SKEWERED for not appearing to be ON the cleanup, 42 days, 17 hours...

he just doesn't get it

Gulf Oil Spill: Cleanup Has Cost Federal Taxpayers $87 Million So Far

87 Million

so far

But cleanup has not

EVEN STARTED

LOL

It took 20 years and Prince William Sound still is not recovered from the Exxon Valdez spill. Asking for things to be done, or started at this point is just pure political posturing, and zero substance.
 
tell it to carville, matthews, jindal, landrieu, plaquemines parish prez nungesser, the army corps of engineers, the coast guard official who said he was just "slow and dumb," the waitress on grand isle, the charter boat captain, the boom workers in terrebonne parish, afp, politico, abc, the wsj...
 
But for the criminal investigations, I have some questions. Which laws of the land did BP violate? Did they commit perjury by lying under oath? Did they offer any kind of hush money to keep the extent of the spill secret? Doesn't look like it to me.

That is what the probe is for. We will find out in due time.

I have a strong feeling that this is not so much about finding out if BP broke the law, but to mitigate the political damage to Obama over this incident, and also to have a scapegoat to point at. Yes, BP needs to be held accountable for the damage they caused, and made to pay a price, but a witch hunt of any kind is going to be detrimental to finding a solution that will keep this from ever happening again.

I somewhat agree. This is how politics works, blame must be deflected. It will be like this until the end of the country.

I do not agree that it will slow down finding an ultimate solution though.
 
tell it to carville, matthews, jindal, landrieu, plaquemines parish prez nungesser, the army corps of engineers, the coast guard official who said he was just "slow and dumb," the waitress on grand isle, the charter boat captain, the boom workers in terrebonne parish, afp, politico, abc, the wsj...

Okay, I will.

Dear Idiotic Journalists and what seems to be a list of made up people:

Obama is doing something and things are being done by the government.

Sincerly,
The Truth.
 
tell it to carville, matthews, jindal, landrieu, plaquemines parish prez nungesser, the army corps of engineers, the coast guard official who said he was just "slow and dumb," the waitress on grand isle, the charter boat captain, the boom workers in terrebonne parish, afp, politico, abc, the wsj...

Why would I ask them when it was you making the claim. Don't go blaming others for what you write, take responsibility for it.
 
tell it to carville

what's "being done" today is the preparation of a lawsuit
 
tell it to carville

what's "being done" today is the preparation of a lawsuit

The government can multitask. They can clean up the oil and bring BP to justice at the same time, and they ARE doing both.
 
tell it to carville

what's "being done" today is the preparation of a lawsuit

Still not going to take responsibility for your own words?
 
The government can multitask. They can clean up the oil and bring BP to justice at the same time, and they ARE doing both.

And who is BP? A bunch of overworked, highly paid, highly specialized specialists? The CEO? The Board of Directors? The Chief Boardmember? Stockholders? The sub-contractor who was drilling the well? The individuals who bought the likely defective parts? Those who made the likely defective parts?
 
And who is BP? A bunch of overworked, highly paid, highly specialized specialists? The CEO? The Board of Directors? The Chief Boardmember? Stockholders? The sub-contractor who was drilling the well? The individuals who bought the likely defective parts? Those who made the likely defective parts?

Everyone responsible for this multi-billion dollar screw-up.
 
Obama, too? The various regulatory agencies that missed the boat on this one?

Did Obama have anything to do with this? I honestly doubt that one. But the regulators who turned their backs should be held responsible.
 
Did Obama have anything to do with this? I honestly doubt that one. But the regulators who turned their backs should be held responsible.

Well, one of the regulatory agencies which monitors off-shore drilling is, obviously, the EPA. While the EPA is a cabinent sized department, it is not a cabinent position and whose "head honcho" is not approved by Congress. In exchange for having the EPA's head Administrator avoid the grilling by Congress the President tactifully acknowledges that what the EPA does or fails to do is resting on his shoulders because his appointment(s) are done almost solely on his abilities to determine an individual's core comepetency. In essence, if the EPA screws up; the President screws up. Or, at least, if the EPA mismanages something it is like your pick of more commonly associated departments of the Executive Branch mismanaging something.

Of course, I digress. You're probably right. It isn't Obama's fault. He just reads the teleprompter and looks solemn.
 
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