Many Gulf federal judges have oil links

[highplainsdem]

Source: AP

Many Gulf federal judges have oil links
By CURT ANDERSON (AP)


MIAMI — More than half of the federal judges in districts where the bulk of Gulf oil spill-related lawsuits are pending have financial connections to the oil and gas industry, complicating the task of finding judges without conflicts to hear the cases, an Associated Press analysis of judicial financial disclosure reports shows.

Thirty-seven of the 64 active or senior judges in key Gulf Coast districts in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida have links to oil, gas and related energy industries, including some who own stocks or bonds in BP PLC, Halliburton or Transocean — and others who regularly list receiving royalties from oil and gas production wells, according to the reports judges must file each year. The AP reviewed 2008 disclosure forms, the most recent available.

Those three companies are named as defendants in virtually all of the 150-plus lawsuits seeking damages, mainly for economic losses in the fishing, seafood, tourism and related industries, that have been filed over the growing oil spill since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Attorneys for the companies and those suing them are pushing for consolidation of the cases in one court, with BP recommending Texas and others advocating for Louisiana and other states.

-snip-

The AP review of disclosure statements shows the oil and gas industry's roots run as deep in the Gulf Coast's judiciary as they do in the region's economy. For example, one federal judge in Texas is a member of Houston's Petroleum Club, an "exclusive, handsome club of, and for, men of the oil industry."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j8f2c5EMHHyphrI-OoK7rjHYFkbwD9G5SFE01

[SpiralHawk]

1. Well isn't that special (R)

[marmar]

2. There's no level of government that hasn't been corrupted by corporate money.....

It's like Al Capone's Chicago, under the guise of legitimate institutions.

[Angry Dragon]

3. "Who owns you baby??"

[calimary]

7. We need to ask that of everyone in positions of authority now.

Who owns you, baby? Who's yer daddy? Who's buttering your bread?

[xchrom]

4. Over the coming years this (corrupt) scenario

Will be played out over and over again.

This time it's particularly horrifying.

[No Elephants]

5. Next time, it may be even more horrifying. When will Americans finally act?

[irislake]

6. No!

What a big surprise!

[PufPuf23]

8. Can Obama/Congress appoint Special Prosecutors?

Seems like the way to go for fair and efficient justice.

But then I agree with Reich that BP's assets be put in Federal receivership.

[OnyxCollie]

9. K&R. nt

[Bryn]

10. Sad that America has come to this ...

[WillyT]

11. K & R !!!

:mad:

:kick:

[tomm2thumbs]

12. oil-industry roots = control roots

no question they need to make sure they only put cases in judges' courtrooms without conflicts of interest

I guess more than half of the federal judges will be hearing everything BUT oil cases - thank god someone is keeping tabs on this kind of thing - who would have ever thought they were so embedded in the court system

makes you wonder a lot less how come the Supreme Court supported corporations spending unlimited money in elections 'as persons'



I hope some of those judges have waterfront property - maybe they'll start to take this under advisement...