BP is Intimidating Key Witnesses

BP and the mafia might have more in common than you thought.

BP appears to be intimidating witnesses who were intimately involved with the rig to prevent federal officials from determining what actually happened on that fateful day. Citing excuses from location of the hearing to having not received the necessary documents, nine key witnesses have cancelled their scheduled testimony. While some of these excuses may be legitimate, the fact that all of the top-ranking officials on the rig have canceled scheduled testimony strongly suggests that BP is pressuring witnesses not to testify.

Further, BP knowingly continued to drill the Macondo well despite knowing that the blowout preventer was leaking and both internal (September 2009 and external (April 2010) audits had found that the device was well past its inspection date. This complete lack of regard for safety is criminal - and is exactly the kind of testimony that BP doesn't want in front of federal regulators. Fortunately, some witness have been able to testify:

A BP official, Ronald Sepulvado, a well-site leader, testified that BP continued drilling for oil in the days before the disaster despite internal reports of a leak on a safety device on the rig.

If there is any justice in this country, BP will be found criminally liable for the spill and the deaths of 11 people, and will be banned forever from operating in the United States.

[New York Times]