RICO suit: BP manipulated Bush team

[sabra]

Source: Pensacola News Journal

A newly filed federal lawsuit in Pensacola accuses BP of manipulating government agencies during the Bush administration to relax regulatory oversight of offshore drilling and oil operations in the United States.

It's that relaxation of the rules that allowed BP to run afoul of safeguards that could have prevented the April 20 explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, the civil lawsuit claims. Eleven workers aboard the rig, located off the coast of Louisiana, were killed in the blast.

"In the greedy interest of billions of dollars in offshore drilling profits, BP chose to misrepresent its capability to respond and prevent impact to the environment, the public and the plaintiffs, and concealed its incapacity to response," the suit says.

...

The Levin Papantonio law firm in Pensacola and the Eastland Law Offices of Greenwood, Miss., filed the 36-page, class-action suit over the weekend.

...

The suit also references a 2000 retreat for government officials hosted by former Vice President Dick Cheney with the goal of drafting a national energy policy.

The meeting, which is now referred to the "Cheney Energy Task Force," was attended by a number of oil executives, including BP's regional president Bob Malone, the lawsuit alleges.

Read more: http://www.pnj.com/article/20100615/NEWS01/100615005/RICO-suit-BP-manipulated-Bush-team

[Catshrink]

1. Is Cheney a defendant?

[sabra]

4. BP is..

"It lists Pensacola Beach developer and property owner Robert Rinke as a plaintiff and BP, its North American subsidiaries and BP CEO Tony Hayward as defendants.

The conspiracy of deregulation and shallow oversight lowered the value of Rinke's property and other home and condominium owners' properties along the Gulf Coast, the suit says."

[wordpix]

11. no Halliburton? They were cementing the well, after all

[tabatha]

2. That's Mike Papantonio

Good lawyer for fighting this kind of stuff.

[KansDem]

3. The "Cheney Energy Task Force" is at the heart of all these problems...

It needs to be thoroughly investigated and exposed to the public.

[wordpix]

9. FINALLY it might see the light of day!

[elleng]

5. Sounds good for Pap, I guess, but its QUITE a stretch, imo,

and enhances our characterization as 'litigious,', which I don't think is good.

About RICO:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act

[CatWoman]

7. so they shouldn't even try?

sometimes in order to accomplish the common good, one has to say the hell what others think.

[elleng]

15. Sure, they can try.

My 'thoughts' are based on my assessment of the likelihood of success with these tools.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

6. If memory serves, they can collect triple damages from 'em

Also confiscate 100% of their properties and assets (under the RICO statute).

[Kingofalldems]

8. Don't worry---Tony, Clarence and Co. will have Big Oil's back once more

[wordpix]

10. Tony should be invited out for lots of barbeque ribs with ice cream sundaes after

throw some coke floats in for drinks

[KansDem]

12. As much as I despise these SOBs, I really don't think they were "manipulated."

I think they were too smart for that...well, maybe not Bush himself, but the others.

This is how I see the "manipulation" occurring...
BP: ...and we want this concession regarding safety devices. They're too costly!
B/C: Ow!, hey, you're manipulating us here! (wink, wink)
BP (smiling): Of course, we just don't want a lot of government oversight and regulation. Capiche?
B/C: Oh! Oh! More "manipulation!" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). You're killing us here! You're killing us!
BP (laughing): Tell us when you've had enough! (hahahaha!!!) We don't want to go too far!
B/C: Don't worry! We'll say 'Uncle (Sam)'
BP & B/C: BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[awnobles]

13. Hell Yes

I hope they have discovery.

[OnyxCollie]

14. K&R. nt

[Ed Barrow]

16. kick