There Are Now Seven Federal Judges That Have Recused Themselves From Deepwater Horizon Cases

It's good that they're recusing themselves to avoid a conflict of interest, but I think it also underscores how both our regulatory system and legal system may fail to be truly independent. Kate Galbraith at the Texas Tribune points out it may also be difficult to find lawyers. The cause for the number of recusals seems to be, in part, due to the numerous corporations (BP, Transocean, Halliburton, Cameron) in play.

But still, one can't help but wonder whether there would be similar recusals in a lower profile case. The news reports are making apparent how important relationships are to understanding how both the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and the oil industry function. As we saw from an inspector general report on the MMS office in Louisiana, these relationships start in the sandbox.

-- Mandy Smithberger

See also:

• MMS District Manager to IG: "Obviously, We're All Oil Industry"
• The Life of Reilly: How Will the New Oil Spill Commission Co-Chair Balance His Interests?
• MMS Scandal: Where Are They Now? Deepwater Horizon Edition
• Drilling the Taxpayer: Department of Interior's Royalty-In-Kind Program