Transocean request on liability cap 'unconscionable,' U.S. says

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Associated Press

Transocean request on liability cap 'unconscionable,' U.S. says
By The Associated Press
May 29, 2010, 3:19PM


WASHINGTON -- Transocean's request that its liability in connection with what may be the largest oil spill in U.S. history be limited to $26.7 million is "simply unconscionable," the Justice Department said.

U.S. Assistant Attorney General Tony West, in a May 24 letter to Transocean attorney Frank Piccolo, questioned the company's legal argument that the 150-year-old Limitation of Liability Act caps its damages. The owners of the RMS Titanic, a passenger ocean liner that sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg, also tried to use the law to avoid making payments to the ship's survivors and the estates of those who died.

"It is simply unconscionable, in the circumstances of this case, that Transocean is attempting to use the same shield of liability, potentially leaving thousands of people who have been damaged by your clients' actions with no remedy," West wrote in his letter, which the Justice Department released under a Freedom of Information Act request.

-snip-

West, in his letter, said Congress in 1990 repealed the ability for businesses to cite the Limitation act in oil-spill cases. He asked Transocean to modify its request on legal liability and tell the Justice Department within 10 days what course of action the company plans to take.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/transocean_request_on_liabilit.html

[scentopine]

1. what sort of gutless mother fucker lawyer would argue for this?

If I ever become religious it would only be to pray that these human vermin burn in hell.

[Dr.Phool]

6. Burn in hell? They're sitting on the fucking US Supreme Court..

[Proletariatprincess]

2. Scurrilous Scumbags.

The companies that are responsible for this terrible disaster...all three of them...should forfeit the right to do business in the USA and their corporate charters yanked. Nationalize all their petroleum operations in US territories. Not only make them pay for all damages, but seize all assets

[The Magistrate]

4. Hear Hear, Ma'am!

"Kill one, warn one hundred."

[EJSTES2005]

3. They keep the profits...we pay the losses........SSDD

Starting to see a pattern here ?

[skoalyman]

5. Heres there link, email them with your opinion

www.deepwaterhorizoncondolences.com/connect.asp

To bad I moved from louisiana, I'd mail them some tarballs.:mad: :grr:

[The Straight Story]

7. From their investor call they said they owe nothing based on their contract

and that BP is on the hook for it.

http://www.deepwater.com/fw/main/Investor-Relations-272.html

[Scuba]

8. Privatize profits. Socialize losses.