Feds weigh a criminal probe of BP

The focus is on whether the oil company skirted safety regulations and misled the U.S. government about its ability to respond to a blowout.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-spill-investigation-20100529,0,3427456.story

Reporting from Washington A team of top federal prosecutors and investigators has taken the first steps toward a formal criminal investigation into oil giant BP's actions before and after the drilling rig disaster off Louisiana.

The investigators, who have been quietly gathering evidence in Louisiana over the last three weeks, are focusing on whether BP skirted federal safety regulations and misled the U.S. government by saying it could quickly clean up an environmental accident.

The team has met with U.S. attorneys and state officials in the Gulf Coast region and has sent letters to executives of BP and Transocean Ltd., the drilling rig owner, warning them against destroying documents or other internal records.

Underscoring the gravity of the inquiry, the team is headed by Assistant Atty. Gen. Ignacia Moreno of the environment and natural resources division and Assistant Atty. Gen. Tony West, who heads the Justice Department's civil division.

There is no reason for Obama to be screaming about this like some people want. It is going to happen. It's going to be huge - both civil and criminal.

But why do you think a few words about prosecution would hurt from Obama?

This is a chance to tap into a huge well of public opinion and actually do some good. Or is there some reason we don't want to be too hard on BP execs?

that Congress and Justice will get a crack at BP:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/95529-obama-bp-responsible-for-paying-costs-of-oil-spill



And a quick Google search will turn up much stronger language from Senate and House Democrats.

L'homme, l'homme, l'homme armé,
L'homme armé
L'homme armé doibt on doubter, doibt on doubter.
On a fait partout crier,
Que chascun se viengne armer
D'un haubregon de fer.

turned out?

Why not take the opportunity to really focus public attention on the need to stop the destructive effects of "business as usual?"

I’ll see you get justice, Obama promises victims of BP oil spill


Barack Obama views tar balls washed up at Fourchon Beach, Louisiana

Barack Obama came face to face with the reality of America’s biggest oil disaster last night, seeing tar balls on the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and promising stricken communities: “Justice will be done.”

As BP struggled for a third day to complete a “top kill” procedure aimed at tapping a leaking well on the seabed, the President flew over the slick, walked Louisiana’s oiled shores and witnessed for the second time the desperate efforts to hold back the tide.

“This is not just a mess we’ve got to mop up. People are watching their livelihoods wash up on the beach, parents are worried about their children’s health, everybody has watched this nightmare threaten the dreams they want to build,” he said during a visit to Grand Isle, a barrier island community.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7139739.ece

Translation: "giving them a heads-up to let them know to get the shredders going 24/7."

Start the snowball rolling down the hill, then when the spill is finally contained, make sure it hits them like a ton of bricks.

Unless the American people see some high level execs of bp in normal jail, personal fines of these people, very huge fines of bp, bp paying for all costs now and into the future, it will be business as usual. The people need to see that corporation people are held to the same laws and standards as an average person. Until that is done this country is on a downward spiral.