Gulf claims chief says no-sue rule was his idea

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

The new administrator for damage claims from Gulf oil spill victims said Sunday it was his idea, not BP's, to require that anyone who receives a final settlement from the $20 billion compensation fund give up the right to sue the oil giant.

But Ken Feinberg told reporters that he has not yet decided whether the no-sue requirement will extend to other companies that may be responsible for the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

He insisted that payouts from the claims facility he will run will be more generous than those from any court. Feinberg also ran the government compensation fund created after the 9/11 attacks, and there was a similar no-sue provision.

"It is not in your interest to tie up you and the courts in years of uncertain protracted litigation when there is an alternative that has been created," Feinberg said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_gulf_oil_spill

[katandmoon]

1. Awww, that's our Obama administration! Always lookin' out for the big guy!

[jpak]

2. Yeah - Obama got $20 billion from BP - and BP is selling major assets to pay for this spill

Gratuitous Anti-Obama Hysteria Fail

yup

[katandmoon]

5. Then wny is his administration letting BP screw over the Gulf Coast?

[flyarm]

3. Who is Kenneth Feinberg?

Who is Kenneth Feinberg?

http://wsws.org/articles/2010/jul2010/fein-j02.shtml

By Tom Eley
2 July 2010
The career of “claims czar” Kenneth Feinberg leaves little doubt that the escrow account set up by the Obama administration to compensate victims of BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil blowout will have as its overriding aim the defense of the oil giant’s profitability.

The selection of Feinberg to head the $20 billion Independent Claims Facility was approved by BP executives, and with good reason. He has been repeatedly called upon to protect the interests of the wealthy and the powerful. Most notably, he was selected to chair a similar escrow account set up to compensate victims of the September, 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. Later he was chosen as the Obama administration’s “pay czar” for bailed out banks and corporations.

Feinberg’s task has been to present the image of objectivity and concern while pursuing the interests of the state and big corporations.

Agent Orange Product Liability Litigation

"Affected veterans were given $1,200 in exchange for disavowing their right to litigate"

The Dalkon Shield case

-20 women died of complications associated with the Dalkon Shield.

"While Feinberg’s trust gave most women $725 or less, A.H. Robins was saved."

September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

"Feinberg’s assignment was only secondarily to limit damages to the federal government and the airlines."
" This time the primary purpose was political—to avoid lawsuits that might bring to light uncomfortable truths about the Bush administration’s role in the lead-up to the 9/11 attacks and what the preponderance of evidence suggests was an ordered stand down of the US military-intelligence apparatus."


Obama administration “Pay Czar”

"Feinberg’s most prominent job came with his selection by Obama to “oversee” executive pay at financial institutions and corporations that had received a large portion of the $750 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The appointment was largely a public relations stunt designed to defuse popular anger over Wall Street pay."

[jpak]

4. WSWS - World Socialist Web Site = nutjob commentary

fail

:thumbsdown:

[flyarm]

6. what there is wrong??..please elaborate???????????? Come on put up or ...

do what you always do..you post nothing but your own comments and opinions..never any proof of a damn thing..so put up..or...........

what there is wrong????????????

prove it!!

come on ..or it more crickets on proof?????????????

[JDPriestly]

7. Unless people sue, we will not be able to get all the information

about the spill.