Criminal probe of oil spill to focus on 3 firms and their ties to regulators

Source: Washington Post

By Jerry Markon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A team of federal investigators known as the "BP squad" is assembling in New Orleans to conduct a wide-ranging criminal probe that will focus on at least three companies and examine whether their cozy relations with federal regulators contributed to the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, according to law enforcement and other sources.

The squad at the FBI offices includes investigators from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies, the sources said. In addition to BP, the firms at the center of the inquiry are Transocean, which leased the Deepwater Horizon rig to BP, and engineering giant Halliburton, which had finished cementing the well only 20 hours before the rig exploded April 20, sources said.

hile it was known that investigators are examining potential violations of environmental laws, it is now clear that they are also looking into whether company officials made false statements to regulators, obstructed justice or falsified test results for devices such as the rig's failed blowout preventer. It is unclear whether any such evidence has surfaced.

One emerging line of inquiry, sources said, is whether inspectors for the Minerals Management Service, the federal agency charged with regulating the oil industry -- which is itself investigating the disaster -- went easy on the companies in exchange for money or other inducements. A series of federal audits has documented the MMS's close relationship with the industry.
"The net is wide," said one federal official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

-snip-
Unlike the public hearings held last week in Kenner, La., by a federal investigatory panel, the criminal probe has operated in the shadows. But it could lead to large fines for the companies and jail time for executives if the government files charges and proves its case.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/27/AR2010072706052.html?hpid=topnews

Should be interesting.

if the follow through of this administration so far is any indication (war crimes, US attorneys, etc.).

But it would sure restore some of my lost faith in our system to see some of the criminals serve jail time.
Ha. Who am I kidding....

Alberto Gonzales for Special Prosecutor.

Some days I really hate my instant, automatic cynicism.

Although lawyers familiar with the case expect that environmental-related charges -- which have a low burden of proof -- will be filed, some doubted that investigators can prove more serious violations such as lying or falsifying test results.

"That's hard to prove," said one lawyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because details of the investigation are not public. "It's hard to show that somebody who could have died on the rig was malicious and reckless and intentionally did something that jeopardized their own life."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/27/AR2010072706052.html?hpid=topnews

Imagine a guy stuck in a semi-truck in a bad traffic jam who got angry because he was afraid he would lose his job if he got to his destination late. Imagine this guy, while texting his wife that about how mad he is because he is late, takes his foot off the brake and drives his semi into a series of smaller cars in front of him and kills 11 people. Do you really think that driver couldn't face manslaughter charges?

Would it really be that hard, would it really be that difficult to persuade a jury that the truck driver could not have been malicious and reckless or intentionally done something to jeopardize his own life?

One of the workers on the rig testified that some of the warning equipment was turned off because it was sounding alarms so often that higher-ups could not sleep. Turning off the alarm instead of taking care of the problem is pretty reckless if you ask me. I saw the testimony before Congress by the worker making this accusation. He seemed quite credible to me. If I were on the jury (I won't be) well, depending on the other evidence and just how persuasive the prosecutor is -- I might convict. I think there's a chance anyway.

Source: Washington Post

Criminal probe of oil spill to focus on 3 firms and their ties to regulators

By Jerry Markon
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A team of federal investigators known as the "BP squad" is assembling in New Orleans to conduct a wide-ranging criminal probe that will focus on at least three companies and examine whether their cozy relations with federal regulators contributed to the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, according to law enforcement and other sources.

The squad at the FBI offices includes investigators from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies, the sources said. In addition to BP, the firms at the center of the inquiry are Transocean, which leased the Deepwater Horizon rig to BP, and engineering giant Halliburton, which had finished cementing the well only 20 hours before the rig exploded April 20, sources said.

While it was known that investigators are examining potential violations of environmental laws, it is now clear that they are also looking into whether company officials made false statements to regulators, obstructed justice or falsified test results for devices such as the rig's failed blowout preventer. It is unclear whether any such evidence has surfaced.

One emerging line of inquiry, sources said, is whether inspectors for the Minerals Management Service, the federal agency charged with regulating the oil industry -- which is itself investigating the disaster -- went easy on the companies in exchange for money or other inducements. A series of federal audits has documented the MMS's close relationship with the industry.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/27/AR2010072706052.html

NOT.



Nothing matters anymore. The corporations have truly taken over. The rare voices like Kucininch and Grayson get silenced or drowned out quickly and the status quo remains.

Just a few:

Clearing the Air
Why I quit Bush's EPA.
By Eric Schaeffer http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0207.schaeffer.html

Published on Wednesday, October 13, 2004 by Knight-Ridder
Environment Worsened Under Bush in Many Key Areas, Data Show
by Seth Borenstein http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1013-12.htm

Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Salon: EPA under Bush resemble Stalin-era Russia
Salon's Rebecca Clarren reports on the damage done to America's Environmental Protection Agency under the Bush Administration:
http://www.jotgreen.com/2008/11/salon-epa-under-bush-resemble-stalin.html

Anti-regulatory crusaders inside the Bush White House have peopled the EPA with top officials apparently more concerned with limiting government spending than public health. According to critics within and outside the EPA, the agency has stifled independent research and compromised scientific assessments of all manner of toxins and carcinogens that Americans breathe, drink and touch. snip

"Just hang in there, fellas! Obama's DOJ is all show and no go!"

Shirley Sherrod had to pull over and resign on her Blackberry and yet most of the MMS are still at their desks. I think two managers resigned.

I guess he doesn't mind wallowing in the Bushit. I would have mucked it out immediately and started with a clean dept.

the criminal reign of the republican neo cons

you know how they placed neo cons in every govt. dept. possible

wishing the BP squad success

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Several U.S. government agencies are preparing a criminal probe of at least three companies involved in the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, though it could take more than a year before any charges are filed, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

BP Plc, Transocean Ltd and Halliburton Co are the initial targets of the wide-ranging probe, which aims "to examine whether their cozy relations with federal regulators contributed to the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico," the newspaper said, citing law enforcement and other sources.

The federal government is assembling in New Orleans a "BP squad" composed of officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies to look into "whether company officials made false statements to regulators, obstructed justice, or falsified test results for devices such as the rig's failed blowout preventer."

On Tuesday, BP said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department had launched a probe into market trading connected to the spill.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/07/28/news/news-us-oil-spill-probe.html?ref=news

---

Prosecute, baby, prosecute!

:)

No prosecutable offenses were found in a year-long investigation of BP, Transocean & Halliburton.

Just another of those little precognitive moments I get now & then.