Texas Sharon's Bluedaze

Fracking News

Judge who denied offshore moratorium owns offshore drilling interests

By

Because making a buck is so much more important than saving the ocean.

Judge Who Struck Down Moratorium Has Owned Transocean Stock

A federal judge in New Orleans on Tuesday sided with the oil industry, striking down the temporary moratorium on new offshore exploration and deepwater drilling the Obama administration imposed last month. That judge, it turns out, has in recent years had interests in Transocean—the world’s largest offshore drilling company and the owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig—as well as other energy companies engaged in offshore oil extraction.

According to the most recently available financial disclosure form for US District Court Judge Martin Feldman, he had holdings of up to $15,000 in Transocean in 2008. He has also recently owned stock in offshore drilling or oilfield service providers Halliburton, Prospect Energy, Hercules Offshore, Parker Drilling Co., and ATP Oil & Gas. Feldman was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

About Sharon Wilson

Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.

Comments

  1. Tim Ruggiero says

    Why should his conflict of interest be any different than the rest of the Industry? Are we really surprised to hear this? Is it just a coincidence that the judge who heard the case just so happens to be a stockholder and personal interests at stake?

    This crooked judge said that he threw out the case because their was insufficent evidence to the contrary-in other words, the State did not make their case. Ok, Judge, exactly how many millions of gallons of crude need pour into the gulf before there is enough evidence to satisfy you?

  2. Anonymous says

    Just another example of the crooked court system in Tx and even in the other red surrounding states around the Gulf. What else would you expect?

  3. Anonymous says

    Do you want to like a Judge? Your are a novice if you are an ordinary citizen who lives on the land. Our "third brand of government" is also a joke and all bought off!