Little-Acorn
Well-Known Member
Remember Obama's moratorium on deep drilling in the Gulf during the oil spill? A judge struck it down as unconstitutional. The Obamanites simply re-issued it, with virtually identical language.
Looks like the judge didn't care too much for that move.
He called it "clear and convincing evidence of the government's contempt of this court's preliminary injunction order", and ruled the Interior Department in contempt of court. This paves the way for fines, prosecution, and/or jail time for Obama administration officials responsible.
Hmmm... this isn't the only time the Obamanites have ignored a direct court order, is it?
Wasn't there a recent Obama-admin law that a similar District court found unconstitutional, and explicitly ordered the implementation stopped, only to have the White House announce that the ruling would have no effect on their continued enforcement of that law?
How long before they are ruled in contempt a second time... with similar prosecution and jail time for "highly placed officials" in the offing?
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http://www.startribune.com/business/115151789.html
Judge in La. holds Interior Department in contempt over offshore oil drilling moratorium
by MICHAEL KUNZELMAN , Associated Press
Last update: February 2, 2011 - 8:05 PM
NEW ORLEANS - The federal judge who struck down the Obama administration's moratorium on deepwater drilling after the Gulf oil spill held the Interior Department in contempt Wednesday, and ordered the federal agency to pay attorneys' fees for several offshore oil companies.
U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman chided the department for its "dismissive conduct" after he overturned the agency's decision to halt any new permits for deepwater projects and suspend drilling on 33 exploratory wells after the Deepwater Horizon blast, which killed 11 workers and triggered the massive spill.
After Feldman overturned the government's moratorium in June, the agency issued a second nearly identical suspension.
"Such dismissive conduct, viewed in tandem with the reimposition of a second blanket and substantively identical moratorium and in light of the national importance of this case, provide this court with clear and convincing evidence of the government's contempt of this court's preliminary injunction order," he wrote.
A magistrate will consider how much the companies' attorneys should get.
An Interior Department spokeswoman wouldn't comment. A lawyer for the companies hailed the ruling.
"We're obviously delighted with the court's recognition of the government's manipulation of the judicial review process," said Carl Rosenblum, an attorney for Hornbeck Offshore Services and other companies that sued over the first moratorium.
Rosenblum said the companies haven't asked for a specific amount and aren't trying to profit.
"The end game has always been to put people back to work," he said.
Looks like the judge didn't care too much for that move.
He called it "clear and convincing evidence of the government's contempt of this court's preliminary injunction order", and ruled the Interior Department in contempt of court. This paves the way for fines, prosecution, and/or jail time for Obama administration officials responsible.
Hmmm... this isn't the only time the Obamanites have ignored a direct court order, is it?
Wasn't there a recent Obama-admin law that a similar District court found unconstitutional, and explicitly ordered the implementation stopped, only to have the White House announce that the ruling would have no effect on their continued enforcement of that law?
How long before they are ruled in contempt a second time... with similar prosecution and jail time for "highly placed officials" in the offing?
---------------------------------------
http://www.startribune.com/business/115151789.html
Judge in La. holds Interior Department in contempt over offshore oil drilling moratorium
by MICHAEL KUNZELMAN , Associated Press
Last update: February 2, 2011 - 8:05 PM
NEW ORLEANS - The federal judge who struck down the Obama administration's moratorium on deepwater drilling after the Gulf oil spill held the Interior Department in contempt Wednesday, and ordered the federal agency to pay attorneys' fees for several offshore oil companies.
U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman chided the department for its "dismissive conduct" after he overturned the agency's decision to halt any new permits for deepwater projects and suspend drilling on 33 exploratory wells after the Deepwater Horizon blast, which killed 11 workers and triggered the massive spill.
After Feldman overturned the government's moratorium in June, the agency issued a second nearly identical suspension.
"Such dismissive conduct, viewed in tandem with the reimposition of a second blanket and substantively identical moratorium and in light of the national importance of this case, provide this court with clear and convincing evidence of the government's contempt of this court's preliminary injunction order," he wrote.
A magistrate will consider how much the companies' attorneys should get.
An Interior Department spokeswoman wouldn't comment. A lawyer for the companies hailed the ruling.
"We're obviously delighted with the court's recognition of the government's manipulation of the judicial review process," said Carl Rosenblum, an attorney for Hornbeck Offshore Services and other companies that sued over the first moratorium.
Rosenblum said the companies haven't asked for a specific amount and aren't trying to profit.
"The end game has always been to put people back to work," he said.
