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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=3>I will believe it when I see it !</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Don't hold your breath, more than likely it will be the
classic Obama administration M.O. ....talk a good talk, and do either
nothing or just the opposite, ie. fake left and then move to the right on behalf
of the corporate interests.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=tanstl@aol.com href="mailto:tanstl@aol.com">David Sladky</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=undisclosed-recipients:
href="mailto:undisclosed-recipients:">undisclosed-recipients:</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, June 05, 2010 10:22 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Holder: DOJ Launched "Criminal and Civil" Probe Into
BP</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial color=black size=2><FONT
face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></FONT><STRONG>Don't hold your
breath.</STRONG><BR>
<H3><A
href="file:///holder-government-reviewing-possible-civil-and-criminal-actions-against-bp60045">Holder:
DOJ Launched "Criminal and Civil" Probe Into BP</A></H3>
<DIV>Tuesday 01 June 2010</DIV>
<DIV>by: <B>Jason Leopold, t r u t h o u t | Report</B></DIV>
<DIV>Attorney General Eric Holder said he met with federal and state prosecutors
in New Orleans Tuesday to discuss the possibility of legal action against
oil giant BP for the Gulf disaster.</DIV>
<DIV>Holder told reporters "anyone found responsible for this spill is held
accountable. That means enforcing the appropriate civil – and if warranted,
criminal – authorities to the full extent of the law."</DIV>
<DIV>He added that the Justice Department has "begun both a criminal as well as
civil investigation as is our obligation under the law."</DIV>
<DIV>But Scott West, the former special agent-in-charge at the Environmental
Protection Agency's Criminal Investigation Division, who spent more than a year
probing BP, said he still doesn't believe a "robust criminal probe" has
been launched, despite Holder's assertions. </DIV>
<DIV>"We have been told that the presidential appointee heads of the Department
of Justice (DOJ) civil division and environment division have been dispatched to
the region," West <A
href="http://www.truthout.org/bp-gulf-disaster-is-a-crime-not-accident60025"
target=_blank>wrote</A> in a column published on Truthout Tuesday. "This action
does not constitute a criminal investigation. It certainly hints at civil
proceedings and, perhaps, is laying the groundwork to deal with the turf battles
to come once a real investigation is allowed to begin.</DIV>
<DIV>"A real criminal investigation into an issue of this magnitude would be
equipped with a small army of investigators, attorneys and scientists under the
direct control of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Criminal
Investigation Division (CID) special agent-in-charge (SAC). There is no way such
an operation would remain quiet, and the media would definitely pick up on
it."</DIV>
<DIV>Numerous media reports Tuesday, citing Holder's prepared remarks, said the
attorney general confirmed a criminal probe is underway.</DIV>
<DIV>Here are Holder's prepared remarks:</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">Good afternoon.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">This morning, I surveyed
just one small portion of the damage caused by what is now the largest oil spill
in American history. I was briefed by Coast Guard officers involved in the
massive response effort and also surveyed the famed Louisiana Delta, where the
early signs of oil intruding into the ecosystem are all too evident.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">This afternoon, our team
from Washington met with Attorneys General and U.S. Attorneys for the states and
districts whose coast lines and citizens have been impacted by this disaster to
discuss how we can work together to respond to this tragic spill.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">As you all know, the
President on Friday reiterated that the first and foremost goal of the entire
government is stopping the leak, containing and cleaning up the oil, and helping
the people in this region get back on their feet and return to their normal
lives.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">But as we have said all
along, we must also ensure that anyone found responsible for this spill is held
accountable. That means enforcing the appropriate civil – and if warranted,
criminal – authorities to the full extent of the law.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">What we saw this morning
was oil for miles and miles. Oil that we know has already affected plant and
animal life along the coast, and has impacted the lives and livelihoods of all
too many in this region. This disaster is nothing less than a tragedy.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">There is one thing I will
not let be forgotten in this incident: In addition to the extensive costs being
borne by our environment and by communities along the Gulf Coast, the initial
explosion and fire also took the lives of 11 rig workers. Eleven innocent lives
lost. As we examine the causes of the explosion and subsequent spill, I want to
assure the American people that we will not forget the price those workers
paid.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">During the early stages
of the response efforts, I sent a team of attorneys including the head of the
Environment and Natural Resources Division, Ignacia Moreno, and the head of our
Civil Division, Tony West, to New Orleans to lead our efforts to</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">protect not only the
people who work and reside near the Gulf, but also the American taxpayers, the
environment and the abundant wildlife in the region. They have been working
diligently ever since to gather facts and coordinate the government’s legal
response.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">As we move forward, we
will be guided by simple principles: We will ensure that every cent of taxpayer
money will be repaid and damages to the environment and wildlife will be
reimbursed. We will make certain that those responsible clean up the mess they
have made and restore or replace the natural resources lost or injured in this
tragedy. And we will prosecute to the full extent any violations of the
law.</DIV>
<UL>
<LI>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">Among the many statutes Department
attorneys are reviewing are: </BLOCKQUOTE>
<LI>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The Clean Water Act, which carries
civil penalties and fines as well as criminal penalties; </BLOCKQUOTE>
<LI>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which
can be used to hold parties liable for cleanup costs and reimbursement for
government efforts; </BLOCKQUOTE>
<LI>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in">The Migratory Bird Treaty Act and
Endangered Species Acts, which provide penalties for injury and death to
wildlife and bird species; and, </BLOCKQUOTE>
<LI>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Other traditional criminal statutes.</BLOCKQUOTE></LI></UL>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">There are a wide range of
possible violations under these statutes, and we will closely examine the
actions of those involved in this spill. If we find evidence of illegal
behavior, we will be forceful in our response. We have already instructed all
relevant parties to preserve any documents that may shed light on the facts
surrounding this disaster. As our review expands in the days ahead,</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">we will be meticulous, we
will be comprehensive, and we will be aggressive. We will not rest until justice
is done.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">While the federal
government continues to focus on stopping the leak and responding to the
environmental disaster, the Department of Justice will ensure the American
people do not foot the bill for this disaster and that our laws are enforced to
the full extent. That is our responsibility, and we will do nothing less.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.39in; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0.39in">I’d now be happy to take
any questions.</DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><BR></DIV><BR>
<DIV style="CLEAR: both"></DIV></FONT><br />--
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