Reports: BP and government blocking coverage of oil damage

By Muriel Kane
Saturday, June 12, 2010 16:49 EST
Print
 
Topics:
 

It is becoming apparent that efforts to prevent the oil gushing out of BP’s blown-out Deepwater Horizon rig from ravaging the Gulf Coast may be largely ineffective. An increasing number of stories are also starting to circulate concerning deliberate attempts by both BP and government officials to block coverage of the damage and the clean-up attempts.

In a video clip obtained by ThinkProgress, a local news team from WDSU in New Orleans was told by a private security guard that they were not allowed to talk to cleanup workers on a public beach or come within 100 yards of cleanup operations.

“Who’s saying that?” reporter Scott Walker asked the guard. “Because no one can tell me that, unless you’re the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, you’re the Coast Guard, or you’re the military, can you tell me where to go on this public beach.”

“I can tell you where to go because I’m employed to keep this beach safe,” the guard replied, adding, “You are not allowed to interview any workers.”

CNN’s Jim Acosta similarly reported on Thursday that his efforts to film attempts by the Louisiana Fish and Wildlife Service to rescue oil-covered birds had been blocked, even though his news team had received permission from the state Fish and Wildlife Service to enter the bird triage center.

“I’m going to have to ask you to stop taking pictures,” a National Guardsman told them.

“It’s more important for the animals to have a quiet, calm, controlled area at this point,” a Fish and Wildlife Service representative insisted when asked for an explanation.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper also recounted being “prevented by federal wildlife officials from photographing birds covered in oil being brought ashore. … They actually now have this area where the birds come in roped off and guarded by National Guard troops.”

This obstruction of the media is occurring even though BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles sent out a message to BP employees and contractors on Wednesday, stating, “Recent media reports have suggested that individuals involved in the cleanup operation have been prohibited from speaking to the media, and this is simply untrue. BP fully supports and defends all individuals rights to share their personal thoughts and experiences with journalists if they so choose.”

BP guards have continued to block reporters from interviewing the cleanup workers, and the workers themselves have spoken off camera of threats that they will lose their jobs if they talk to reporters.

The WDSU reporter specifically mentioned the Suttles memo to the BP guards who were blocking his access to cleanup workers and asked, “Still hasn’t trickled down to you all?”

The guards’ unhelpful response was, “We already heard that one too. … The e-mail did not explicitly give you permission to do that.”

This video was posted by ThinkProgress on YouTube on June 12, 2010.

This video from CNN was posted at YouTube on June 10, 2010.

Muriel Kane
Muriel Kane
Muriel Kane is an associate editor at Raw Story. She joined Raw Story as a researcher in 2005, with a particular focus on the Jack Abramoff affair and other Bush administration scandals. She worked extensively with former investigative news managing editor Larisa Alexandrovna, with whom she has co-written numerous articles in addition to her own work. Prior to her association with Raw Story, she spent many years as an independent researcher and writer with a particular focus on history, literature, and contemporary social and political attitudes. Follow her on Twitter at @Muriel_Kane
Share this story >>
Print
 
 
 
By commenting, you agree to our terms of service
and to abide by our commenting policy.
 
  • Stanford Stefan

    Hey Obomba, I love the transparency you're showing to the world.

    Thank you Raw Story for having the nads to keep going after this one.

    I'd be really happy if you show the republish the presstv story on worst case scenario.

    Americans need to be prepared for it.

    Peace

    http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128113&sec…

    Quick cut and paste of it:

    The British Petroleum oil spill is threatening the entire eastern half of the North American continent with “total destruction,” reports say.

    An ominous report by Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources warned of the impending disaster resulting from the British Petroleum (BP) oil and gas leak in the Gulf of Mexico, calling it the worst environmental catastrophe in all of human history, the European Union Times reported.

  • Stanford Stefan

    Hey Obomba, I love the transparency you're showing to the world.

    Thank you Raw Story for having the nads to keep going after this one.

    I'd be really happy if you show the republish the presstv story on worst case scenario.

    Americans need to be prepared for it.

    Peace

    http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128113&sec…

    Quick cut and paste of it:

    The British Petroleum oil spill is threatening the entire eastern half of the North American continent with “total destruction,” reports say.

    An ominous report by Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources warned of the impending disaster resulting from the British Petroleum (BP) oil and gas leak in the Gulf of Mexico, calling it the worst environmental catastrophe in all of human history, the European Union Times reported.

  • dredeyedick

    President Obama must have ordered this. He said He was the one in charge, responsible. And he is prosecuting more whistleblowers than his predecessors. Plus, Obama's defense dept. is targeting Julian Assange, Wikileaks.org founder because they are about to release a whole bunch of state dept. cables.

  • habu99

    The real story won't get out for a while yet, well after it's too late to do anything about it.

    BP has a giant financial stake in minimizing spill estimates (which costs them money directly) as well as preventing footage of oil soaked wildlife, either barely alive, or dead (which inflames public passion and makes it harder for them to return to the rubber-stamp days they enjoyed up to the rig explosion).

    The Obama Administration doesn't want the real impact getting out, because it makes the Dear Leader look like what he truly is, a corporate shill who has shielded BP from the legal flogging it so rightly deserves. He already looks bad saying before the spill how safe offshore oil drilling platforms had become, as well as looking bad by <expanding> offshore drilling, once again before the rig blew. Since he took responsibility for the cleanup action, the fact that the government has mostly deferred to BP, which has mostly done nothing but lowball and lie, makes him look bad as well. So Obama, Rahm The Goon, Gibbs, et al sure as shit don't want an accurate picture of the devastation to get out.

    Look for a Presidential committee to have a bunch of meetings, call witnesses, and issue a vaguely worded report that doesn't directly blame anybody (or weekly blames everybody) in about 5 years.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LPDG6AYIPE5GZLQCZTUVZ3XTM4 alpha

    Something seems wrong here. If a private guard attempts to keep someone from public land without a lawful justification, then a call to the police is in order.

    Unlawfully keeping any person from where they lawfully wish to go is a crime. Generally it is a misdemeanor punished by 6 months to a year in jail. Why didn't the reporter call the bluff?

  • Kucinich2012!

    You forget what country you're living in? All land, anymore, is basically corporate land, whether on paper or not.

  • pist

    if these reporters had any guts theyd allow themselves to get arrested then sue

    but they dont

  • Home_kmw

    And Obama gives BP ANOTHER 48 hours to come up with 'a plan'. christ.

  • Home_kmw

    Well, get yourself a camera, go down there & start snapping photos.

  • inky99

    Absolutely. It's time to call their bluff, and hire their OWN muscle to get access past these guards. These guards have absolutely ZERO authority to prevent someone from moving around on a PUBLIC BEACH.

    This really pisses me off, and if I lived there, I'd be there to push this. The locals need to get together and overpower these people with some serious, nonviolent muscle, and numbers!

    FUCK BP. Fuck their “guards”. Fuck the censorship, and fuck Obama for allowing this SHIT.

  • Home_kmw

    They may be right. One Cat 3 hurricane is all it might take to destroy the South-East.

    Obama seems determined to sit on his hands, but what about Congress? Are there ANY congress persons demanding ACTION?

  • inky99

    A rent-a-cop can't arrest you. They have no authority. The only way to respond to these guys is to walk right past them, and if they hit you, hit them back. Have cameras rolling the whole time. These guys have ZERO authority.

  • inky99

    That report isn't credible. Chase it down and you'll find it was written by Sasha Faal , who is a conspiraporn nut, makes Alex Jones look like Tom Brokaw.

    I mean, I wouldn't 100% doubt that this could destroy the entire eastern seaboard, but don't take Sasha Faal's word for it, they are simply not the least bit credible and nothing they write should be passed around.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/LPDG6AYIPE5GZLQCZTUVZ3XTM4 alpha

    No, you don't want violence. A couple of punches thrown and the thugs just get a few days off. You want them arrested by the police for false imprisonment or extortion. All the other thugs will back down. They don't get paid for a year in jail.

    But there has to be a reason that CNN didn't call the cops to enforce their rights as citizens in investigating what was going on. I assume CNN got a low key story that supposedly makes them look like they tried, but one that does nothing to piss off BP.

  • reyrey

    You can bet your ass if I was a reporter, I would be giving them migraines, film everything I want and dare them to arrest me.

    That's all it will take is just one and if BP thinks they have problems now, wait 'til that happens and hits the airwaves.

    This oil spill isn't in the fucking English Channel!

    What happened to brave Americans?

  • Home_kmw

    Also violence breeds more violence. Punch out a BP cop and next thing we might see the whole country punching out … those responsible.

  • Home_kmw

    We're fighting each other over abortion and illegal immigrants and pot legalization.

  • dennycrane

    I real good way to fix it so the Big Piss can't see the oil volcano would be to blacken their eyes with a left jab and a right hook.

  • grindermonkey

    This is a distraction. If you want to see BP interference try googling “relief well.” Try to find ANY information on this drilling procedure, its record of success, anything…

  • nobody

    Well of course they are.
    This stinking government IS a corporation.
    It is now U.S. Government, Inc.
    If you think the people of this country have been getting the short end of the stick just have a look at the next few years.
    The current SCOTUS should be flushed right down the drain.

  • Stanford Stefan

    Hey inky99, where did you see that it was written by Sasha Faal? I'm not denying your information, just trying to find out where it came from.

    According to the report listed, and other credible information I've uncovered, it was definitely prepared by elements within the Russian government. I know some of the issues with Sasha Faal and I'm quite sure that Sasha was not the original writer of this piece of information but if so, I would definitely like to know. I have not been able to find the original document supposedly created by Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources.

    Still, I've done a lot of research into Corexit 9500 and it's a lethal killing chemical to anything that breathes and lives. Why in God's name is BP still using it down there?

    Thanks, and Peace!

  • Holliwoodie

    This is a clear violation of the First Amendment on several accounts. The US Attorney General should order the FBI to stop this blatant harassment of the media. In the meantime, some brave journalist needs to defy these scumbags and if necessary get himself shot in the process. That way, the goons BP has hired will be charged with murder or attempted murder. Furthermore the POTUS needs to decide who he was elected to protect and start upholding the Constitution!

  • Gard

    Can ANYBODY who has a valid claim against BP for over ONE DOLLAR can move his/her ass and file a petition for involuntary bankruptcy first thing Monday morning, PLEASE!!!
    No lawyer needed. Just a form and a filing fee.

    This is the only way to wrestle control over a crime scene from BP criminals and their USCG puppets.

  • pb

    obummer

  • overdoneputaforkinit

    The guard proved that Suttles memo was a lie. The reporter should have said that.

  • inky99
  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/FZTCSW3ROOZH6M567RKPDFVRAY Donald

    We hear all this psycho-babble about Obama being a Liberal or Socialist. Nothing is further from the truth. Obama talks liberal but always swings back to the right. Obama struck the liberal flag after he was elected, run up the corporate flag, and surrounded himself with advisors from the Wall Street Banksters, the healthcare cartel and big oil. Obama is one of the best politicos that the corporate elite have, bar none.

    http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/09/money-a…

    http://www.opensecrets.org/capital_eye/health.php

    http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php…

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/FZTCSW3ROOZH6M567RKPDFVRAY Donald

    A national guardsman told the newsman to stop taking pictures?

    Those orders have to come from either “the governor of the state”, “Obama” or both. The news media need to do some investigative reporting and nail down who gave the order to keep the press out of the animal kill zone and why!

    Whoever, is responsible for keeping the truth from the tax payer and covering for BP needs to be run out of office.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/FZTCSW3ROOZH6M567RKPDFVRAY Donald

    Want to know the possibility for success? Read the following:

    http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0602/physics-profes…

  • Harrymellon

    Fuck BP and fuck Obama! When they are only concerned with covering up the truth then people have to get riled. News crews should be bringing their own 'security' to enforce access. They should also ignore airspace rules. What's BP gonna do? Shoot them down? Tht would look real good in the press.

  • S in PA

    Sorcha Faal wrote a piece back on May 23 regarding the MNR report:

    http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index1374.htm

    Maybe that's what Inky99 was thinking of. But I compared the one you posted from Iranian Press TV with the one Sorcha wrote and they don't have the same wording. However, I don't know much about where the Iranian press gets their sources so maybe they looked at the Sorcha Faal piece.

  • Harrymellon

    Get some guts America and confront these jerks. Dare them to try and stop you. If CNN doesn't have the balls then some journalist has to? Are there any actual journalists left in America? And by the way, what the hell is BP doing in our gulf anyway. The oil wasn't even ours…it's Englands.

  • S in PA

    I think that Rep. Charles Melancon (D-LA) is demanding action.

  • S in PA

    Well that explains a lot about BP's hiring of a shitload of people for “cleanup operations” – but apparently none for actual “cleanup”.

  • S in PA

    Obama, the one-term president. Won't get fooled again.

  • S in PA

    Those are the shiny objects meant to distract.

  • Thomas Paine

    Better yet, google (at their “news” site) for “deadly tide” and see what doesn't come up. You really don't want to know the extent of the poison created when millions of gallons of solvent is mixed with a hundred million gallons of crude. At least I don't want to know. Damnitall.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/6EX2KJ7LSZMDCBZWCH62Q7CABY Sandra

    Louisiana has the resources, Jindal is setting up fake press conferences practically crying for Federal help. Screw Jindal! He's just a puppet for the Fed. We need the oil eating microbes that Texas has been using.

  • theoracle

    When oil and water mix, we get black water.

    When BP hires private contractors to handle the clean-up, these private contractors hire private security contractors, leading to BLACKWATER-clone security teams policing the clean-up areas and clean-up crews, denying access to our representatives from the Fourth Estate but also, from reports, our government's public servants (like the firefighters in Alabama).

    In the process, BP gets to claim “plausible deniability.”

    THEY aren't denying access to anyone, anywhere, in oil-fouled areas…at least not directly.

    THEY, at least not directly, aren't ordering clean-up workers not to talk to the press or government public servants, but it is obvious someone is, someone who has threatened clean-up workers with the loss of their job if they do talk.

    But who did BP hire to do their dirty work? And is it just BP? EXXON is also hiring clean-up crews (and presumably BLACKWATER-type private security company mercenaries to oversee the oil-poisoned clean-up areas). Are all the other oil giants involved, working with BP to mitigate potential damages to their own corporate profits spilling over from the BP blow-out and the widening black water and black beaches disaster zone?

    A MAJOR U.S. government investigation is called for, to ferret out who BP and the other oil giants hired to do their dirty work, private contractors (and sub-contract BLACKWATER-type mercs) hired to set-up their own oil-clean-up-area police-states inside our borders and offshore, hired to give BP “plausible deniability,” hired on the advice of BP's lawyers to provide a PR buffer as BP and its corporate lawyers scramble to limit the financial damages to BP.

    It's a war, and BP, its corporate lawyers, and those private contractors hired to do BP's dirty work, are treating it as such. And the last thing BP and its corporate lawyers want is for BP's hired clean-up crews and hired guns to talk to the “enemy,” who are viewed by BP as anyone from the Fourth Estate or even federal, state and local government public servants.

  • theoracle

    When oil and water mix, we get black water.

    When BP hires private contractors to handle the clean-up, these private contractors hire private security contractors, leading to BLACKWATER-clone security teams policing the clean-up areas and clean-up crews, denying access to our representatives from the Fourth Estate but also, from reports, our government's public servants (like the firefighters in Alabama).

    In the process, BP gets to claim “plausible deniability.”

    THEY aren't denying access to anyone, anywhere, in oil-fouled areas…at least not directly.

    THEY, at least not directly, aren't ordering clean-up workers not to talk to the press or government public servants, but it is obvious someone is, someone who has threatened clean-up workers with the loss of their job if they do talk.

    But who did BP hire to do their dirty work? And is it just BP? EXXON is also hiring clean-up crews (and presumably BLACKWATER-type private security company mercenaries to oversee the oil-poisoned clean-up areas). Are all the other oil giants involved, working with BP to mitigate potential damages to their own corporate profits spilling over from the BP blow-out and the widening black water and black beaches disaster zone?

    A MAJOR U.S. government investigation is called for, to ferret out who BP and the other oil giants hired to do their dirty work, private contractors (and sub-contract BLACKWATER-type mercs) hired to set-up their own oil-clean-up-area police-states inside our borders and offshore, hired to give BP “plausible deniability,” hired on the advice of BP's lawyers to provide a PR buffer as BP and its corporate lawyers scramble to limit the financial damages to BP.

    It's a war, and BP, its corporate lawyers, and those private contractors hired to do BP's dirty work, are treating it as such. And the last thing BP and its corporate lawyers want is for BP's hired clean-up crews and hired guns to talk to the “enemy,” who are viewed by BP as anyone from the Fourth Estate or even federal, state and local government public servants.

  • Silcominc

    BP is also burning millions of gallons of oil…..

    http://www.newslook.com/videos/220126-daily-oil…

  • revbob

    The person with the best poll numbers against Obama is Huckleberry Jesus. Careful what you wish for.

  • AnninAZ

    I totally agree. Anyone who calls Obama a liberal or progressive doesn't know or understand what a liberal or progressive is or the policies a true progressive or liberal would pursue compared to those that Obama has followed or left to stand from the Bush administration. Unfortunately, the press doesn't seemed to have made those distinctions; I've seen very few journalists other than some lefty blogs (and Krugman) that were willing to commit in print to a conclusion that the President is not liberal/progressive, but more Bush lite with a better oratorical skills.

  • http://www.TheAmericanRepublic.com Gene

    Supposedly, Bobby Jindahl controls Louisiana's “National Guard” troops. Focus on him.

  • JR

    I see so many trying to down play Alex Jones. While he is loose with his mouth and doesn’t always articulate himself in the best manor many of the things he has talked about over the years have come to pass. I at first said he was a quack too but saw some of his videos and can not deny there is a pattern going on behind the curtain that many are trying to pull back at this moment. Just say’n.

  • JR

    I see so many trying to down play Alex Jones. While he is loose with his mouth and doesn’t always articulate himself in the best manor many of the things he has talked about over the years have come to pass. I at first said he was a quack too but saw some of his videos and can not deny there is a pattern going on behind the curtain that many are trying to pull back at this moment. Just say’n.

  • LaffingAtTeatards

    Yes thank God he’s only one term with all those Stars on the bench (Palin, McCain, Rand Paul, Michelle Bachman) there should be no problem at all getting one of those Geniuses elected. Right TeaTard?

  • LaffingAtTeatards

    Yes thank God he’s only one term with all those Stars on the bench (Palin, McCain, Rand Paul, Michelle Bachman) there should be no problem at all getting one of those Geniuses elected. Right TeaTard?

  • tzarathustra

    I’m not sure what this means, but I detect that you’re trying to defend Obama, so I understand how very, very little material you have to work with.

  • johnscottridgway

    This is making me beyond angry. I am ready to ask for the death penalty.

  • Anonymous

    And even then, that comittee won’t answer any questions…. sort of like the 9/11 committee… lol

  • http://tarpley.net MyEyesAreOpen

    SEIZE BP AMERICA UNDER THE 1950 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT.

    The US has been under a national emergency since 911. What matters right now is cleaning the mess up. There are many ways that oil could be contained or soaked up. BP only cares about their stock prices. The president can seize any company which is vital for national defense.

    SEIZE BP AMERICA

  • Anonymous

    Maybe people are pissed off enough now to vote for Kucinich in the primary… Personally I would love Bernie Sanders but would hate to lose him as a Senator.

  • LightningJoe

    So I guess it's a game of find the lie. The lie in this case seems to be that the BP Exec gave the media the IMPRESSION that they could go and talk to the workers by saying that the workers weren't prohibited from talking if they wished to — BUT he never said that he would let the reporters walk up and ask. Must have talked to the legal department before issuing that memo…

    Silly reporters, believing what an oil Exec tells them! I guess we can tell when BP's lying, by watching for them to open their mouths.

  • LightningJoe

    Better have a better one in mind, then. A REAL Progressive, rather than the mini-Hitler the Reich will doubtless come up with — or I'm still voting for Obama.

  • LightningJoe

    Some pilots ought to do the same thing, flying low where they “shouldn't,” getting good pictures of the spill damage.

    THIS is why it's a bad idea to let the government put people away without counsel on the slightest pretext, not even having to call it “domestic terrorism” or whatever.

    Doubtless, people are now afraid they'll just disappear if they get too forceful about their rights. Doubtless, this is exactly how the Reich likes it.

  • grindermonkey

    I found this graphic as well and the prediction of hitting the defective well on the first try “practically nil.”

    http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/global…

  • Elfkin393

    This is what Government by Corporation looks like. Got it yet, People?

    Now are we going to do anything about it?

  • Coachellaboy

    Premise of the above post: comparing Obama to Kim Jung-Il.

    Immediately, that make the entire post null and void. Y0u wasted your time writing it.

  • Anonymous

    The Dear Leader quip was a dig at Obama and the cult of personality that surrounds him in some circles. It was not a comparison to Kim Jung-Il. Obama’s a lying corporatist but he doesn’t appear to be a madman.

  • Doc Holiday

    Fools cry for justice when theyve condone mass murder for decades.

    You will all learn to crawl the Earth like the dumb debt ridden maggots that you are.

    Pied Piper still collects…

  • SynGas

    Boycott BP and boycott fossil fuels the best you can. At this point the government should take over BP. They are liars and breaking all kinds of laws. The unauthorized use of that dispersant is criminal enough. Now Kevin Costner wants to sell the only 32 clean up machines he has to BP. He should sell them to the Coast Guard immediately and then they should start mass producing more of these machines and make them bigger. NASA or some government agency not connected to Big Oil should deal with the leak. It's not in BP's interest to deal with it. They are more concerned with PR and stock prices. Destroy the stock price. Nationalize BP. Then put their management on trial. BP is the enemy here. People should not work for them for the clean up, they should be working for the U.S. government. The promised “Green Jobs” everyone forgot about. BP is a criminal entity. At the very least, us plebeians should boycott BP except to piss and poop in their parking lots. If you own a dog, let it piss and poop on a BP parking lot and do not clean it up. Throw all your poopie bags onto BP parking lots. If you own a BP, start to consider selling. If you work for them, quit. Don't allow your livelihood depend on Thugs of the worst kind. They are now showing us their true colors. Their true colors are not Green and Yellow, they are $Pure$Thug. Bring the troops back from the Middle East to fight the real enemy. Read about Smedley Butler. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Is_a_Racket

  • Lyman

    Of course not. We'll just shake our heads and hope it all goes away.
    Look at 9-11. We all know it was treason, but we accept the official lies anyway.
    That's so much easier than actually having to get up and wage a revolution.
    People think that if they lie low, don't make waves, and as long as it is somewhere else
    far away, it won't affect them. Somehow, they think, that the Angel of Death will pass them
    by. It will for awhile, but sooner or later it will come crashing through their doors.

  • Benway for the Nova Police

    They can’t hide it. It’s a fool’s errand. Are they going to pretend there’s no oil on the beach in North Carolina when it gets there? Are they going to pretend the desalinization plant in Tampa Bay is just down for maintenance when there’s a water shortage in South Florida? How are they going to explain the rise in the price of Florida orange juice? Of Florida tomatoes? Of shrimp? Of other seafood? And when the phytoplankton in the Atlantic starts dying, how are they going to explain the shortage of oxygen in the air? Who does BoB think he’s kidding? Who does BP think they are kidding?

  • Benway for the Nova Police

    That lesser of two evils argument doesn’t work anymore. You vote for the lesser of two evils, you’re still voting for evil. And calling folks “TeaTards” because they are sick and tired of being lied to is, well, retarded.

  • Benway for the Nova Police

    Don’t you understand yet? The president is a figurehead. It doesn’t matter who it is. Unless he’s willing to take his life in hands, like JFK did, he’s not gonna rock the boat, and the corporations and the military will go right on scripting the end of the U.S. Empire in 10 years or so.

  • viggytoo

    Pretty sad isnt it? Who does BP think they are?

    Ultimate-Privacy.net

  • Benway for the Nova Police

    LOL! Ignore the man behind the curtain. The great Oz has spoken.

  • Suultaant

    Lot of talk about the memo where BP “GIVES PERMISSION” for so called “free Americans” to speak to the press. Who the F**k is BP to even issue such a permission? US Gov't National guardsman are BP's private security force? Yup..America has become like the Russia I was taught to hate as a child. Gov't of the corporations, by the corporations, for the corporations.

  • Benway for the Nova Police

    The problem is the congress is made up of folks who are used to pooping on the floor and telling the maid to clean it up. They are nose-in-the-air superior human beings and they just can’t wrap their little brains around the fact that ordering the maid to clean up the Gulf of Mexico just ain’t gonna solve the problem. And, of course, they ain’t too bright either.

  • Suultaant

    Yea they would shoot them down, no problem. Look real good in the press??? Hahaha… the press is controled by the corp/gov't. Anyone shot down would get reported as terrorists trying to sabatage the clean up. Welcome to the new Russia.

  • S in PA

    How about Kucinich/Grayson? Well????????????

  • Lyman

    You are correct,sir. The Soviet Union had become like one, big, huge corporation.
    If it is any comfort to you, at least the Soviet Union collapsed first.

  • roafer

    Don't tell the Tea Bagger morons, it will ruin their whole phony movement of dumb lunatics..

    But seriously, you're correct. America is all about corporatism not the people. And the SCOTUS has made sure corporations get special treatment while the average American gets kicked to the curb, again!

  • roafer

    They are just one of many corporate masters that rule the world.

  • trippin

    Medial maipulation by BO has been reported since this started. Where's the President?

    Evidently he's helping BO suppress the media! The Coast Guard is BP's biggest advocate and the National Guard and FWS are all acting in concert — all led by one corporate house Negro that occupies the White House, America's first double-talking one-term African American President.

    Suppression of the media goes well with spying without warrants and rescinding habeas corpus, I guess.

    The corporate fascist vision of bi-partisan control of the United States has been realized.

  • Boneman

    OBAMA, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, BP, OIL CARTEL, BANKS AND THE MIC, I HOPE THE DAY COMES THAT OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM MAKES YOU PAY FOR YOUR TREASON. HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOUR SELVES???????? HOW CAN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FACE IN THE MIRROR?????????? HOW CAN YOU HAVE CHILDREN AND NOT REALIZE WE MUST PROTECT OUR WORLD AND ALL LIFE ON IT FROM THE GREED AND INDIFFERENCE THAT KILLS IT??????????????????? YOU TRULY DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE IN. I DO HOPE AND PRAY THAT JUSTICE IS SERVED ONE DAY AND I HOPE AND PRAY THAT YOU EXPERIENCE IT FULL FORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • FiGi

    “Other satellite imagery reportedly being withheld by the Obama administration, shows that what lies under the gaping chasm spewing oil at an ever-alarming rate is a cavern estimated to be the size of Mount Everest. This information has been given an almost national security-level classification to keep it from the public, according to Madsen’s sources.”

    From: Gulf Oil Spill “Could Go on Years and Years” …
    by F. William Engdahl

    http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=…

  • johnypaycut

    I'l agree that keeping the media from frightening the oiled wildlife is only reasonable.
    (these guys are bad news) however stoping the coverage of oil fouled coastlines and fly overs
    is out of line. the Bp has no right to block reporting on a disater that affects the nation.
    i have realised that Bp is a multinational organization, that appear criminal. it does
    exactly as it pleases in any country it choses, for the Coast Guard to protect it's rights is
    treason. for any goverment to grant rights to a multinational organization that answers to no 1
    is criminal. these “oil companies” are in fact run from a number of global locations and are bound
    by no law, it is time to end this kind of “organization”.

  • Benway for the Nova Police

    What you're saying is, we're playing battleships here with the future of the seas.

  • AJS

    LMAO!!

  • Anthonyperone

    Its time to make a deal with Venezuela.We can use their whole oil output (they are the world's third largest) and never have to drill again. Screw the American Oiligarchy they can go and parasite someplace else. Chavez will be very friendly. We can pretend we like him and he will pretend he likes us. Meantime, we get clean oil and clean marshlands.We can do this.

  • S in PA

    I suggest that as “security” for the news crews, hire a bunch of pissed-off diplomats and embassy workers who have diplomatic immunity and CAN get away with shooting BP's enforcers to get them out of the way.

  • NadePaulKuciGravMcKi

    just like 9/11
    top top secret
    just like anthrax
    protect the guilty

    masters of the universe only
    not for the little people to know

  • keystonelonestar

    Why bother with a boycott? Just take their gas. They're stealing from us.

  • guest

    you are evil, lololol.

  • theoracle

    When oil and water mix, we get black water.

    When BP hires private contractors to handle the clean-up, these private contractors hire private security contractors, leading to BLACKWATER-clone security teams policing the clean-up areas and clean-up crews, denying access to our representatives from the Fourth Estate but also, from reports, our government's public servants (like the firefighters in Alabama).

    In the process, BP gets to claim “plausible deniability.”

    THEY aren't denying access to anyone, anywhere, in oil-fouled areas…at least not directly.

    THEY, at least not directly, aren't ordering clean-up workers not to talk to the press or government public servants, but it is obvious someone is, someone who has threatened clean-up workers with the loss of their job if they do talk.

    But who did BP hire to do their dirty work? And is it just BP? EXXON is also hiring clean-up crews (and presumably BLACKWATER-type private security company mercenaries to oversee the oil-poisoned clean-up areas). Are all the other oil giants involved, working with BP to mitigate potential damages to their own corporate profits spilling over from the BP blow-out and the widening black water and black beaches disaster zone?

    A MAJOR U.S. government investigation is called for, to ferret out who BP and the other oil giants hired to do their dirty work, private contractors (and sub-contract BLACKWATER-type mercs) hired to set-up their own oil-clean-up-area police-states inside our borders and offshore, hired to give BP “plausible deniability,” hired on the advice of BP's lawyers to provide a PR buffer as BP and its corporate lawyers scramble to limit the financial damages to BP.

    It's a war, and BP, its corporate lawyers, and those private contractors hired to do BP's dirty work, are treating it as such. And the last thing BP and its corporate lawyers want is for BP's hired clean-up crews and hired guns to talk to the “enemy,” who are viewed by BP as anyone from the Fourth Estate or even federal, state and local government public servants..

  • dredge

    Get ready for Marshall Law to be enacted. This is so enormous a catastrophe, and all the pieces are in place..National Guardsmen preventing media access to public spaces…and the maintenance of a corporate state. The grip is tightening on us as their power is being challenged.

  • Lyman

    Whoa whoa…hey hey.
    Just a week ago they told they told us that they were going to
    be oh so transparent. That didn't last long.

  • cynthiza

    And yes, you idiots, the stress of having so many reporters does nothing to the wildlife? Give me a fucking break. All of of you down there, trying to get the BEST story, doesn't impact the situation and the wildilfe? You just add more stress to a rediculously already stressed situation. But, WHAT A STORY!. Get your asses out or clean up birds and tar balls.

  • Nunya

    the government is standing in between the people and the interests of the people with no legitimate explanation.

    That invalidates the legitimacy of the goverment.

    We deserve an explanation or we deserve a goverment that serves us….not BP.

  • grindermonkey

    I am saying that the assertion that the relief wells will bring this catastrophe under control has no history of success.

  • LibertyTreeBud

    How about we save up our own shit and sling it at the dumb fuckheads working to cover up the painful and deadly truth of the damage being done? Or better yet, find a real way to covertly get the truth/status on film and youtube it over the world.

  • SweetWilliam

    Thank you, too, for keeping your eye on the ball. The issue here is BP and events that caused the well fire and spill. Aiming insults at the president is a sideshow.

  • LibertyTreeBud

    We saw this at the world trade center in NYC. Same deal. The workers got sick, many died. Same deal in the Gulf. The disaster is still unfolding. Gushing oil, hydrogen sulfide, benzene, methylene chloride and vanadium is gushing up with it under 20,000 to 75,000 PSI. over 18 gushers from the sea floor exist today. Toxic air quality has been recorded. People there are exposed. Long term health quality is compromised. Millions of people will be evacuated [FEMA camps]. The world will never be the same. Being intimidated by BP and those working for them is not acceptable. Dig and Delve for the truth but the truth is, we are ALL up shits creek and BP doesn't care as long as it 'gets out with bucks in their pockets and a safe place from repercussions of killing off life on earth. 350,000 barrels a day spew forth. Thats 14,700,000 gallons a day! Get the real facts. Put a gun to their heads!

  • dredge

    “I would do it and would love to do so, but am a single mom with a kid in college and work for a non-profit”??
    No “buts” Cynthiza. This is a destruction wrought by a corporation. “Clean up birds and tar balls” without protection? Hired and controlled by the company that is committing a crime? You're sick. And working for a non-profit does not absolve you. You seem to be tea bagging.

  • Paulaeparrish

    I am deeply sad about the loss of human life, sea life and negative effects on the eco-system. I spent last weekend on St. Pete beach being outside for 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday. I became very sick with itching eyes and a headache. Do we really no how toxic the air is off the Gulf and how far the effect may be for danger to humans?

  • http://www.memorybits.co.uk/ usb flash drive

    This is a clear violation of First Amendment on several accounts. U.S. Attorney General to order the FBI to the media should stop this blatant abuse. In the meantime, some brave journalists need to defy these Scumbags and shot himself in the process if necessary. This way, hooligans BP Has killed or will be charged with attempted murder. Also POTUS to decide who he was chosen to protect and start upholding the Constitution needs!

  • Wendyw555

    I live in Mexico Beach Fl…I was informed yesteday that there is now an oil slick only a few miles off shore from the beautiful CAPE SAN BLAS….Our city officials and local govt. is STILL encouraging families to vacation here..I was informed yesterday by an OFFICIAL source that the state of FLORIDA should now be declared as in a State of Emergency. The safety of our locals and families coming to vacation is highly at risk..Still The City of Mexico Beach, Port St Joe, and Panama City Beach etc..are asking people to tell everyone that everything is perfect! “Sure..Come on down to the Gulf Coast, and while you are here…How about a nice case of Benzene poisioning?”
    “Just disregard the animals covered in oil that are dying, oh and that huge oil drone that you see…oh, that's nothing….LOL” I hate it for the people who's salaries depend on tourism..The safety of people swimming in these once pristine waters is WILL NOT take a backseat in my book…I have a beach home a block from the Gulf..I will tell you that after hearing the information that I did yesterday, and seeing a “certain” official map of the oil projected paths yesterday…I have informed all of my family, friends and loved ones…We will NOT be swimming in these waters until further notice. Again, the person/persons who informed me yesterday are at risk of losing their jobs…One is from Washington D.C.

  • http://www.privacysource.net/uncategorized/respecting-the-press-and-public-access-during-the-bp-oil-spill/ Privacy Source » Respecting the Press and Public Access During the BP Oil Spill

    [...] access in one way or another. Whether they’re trying to fly over the spill to take photos, gain access to the oil-covered beaches, or take pictures of the dead animals washing ashore, a “media clampdown” continues [...]

  • http://www.dumboLeech7369.com Parker Carlsley

    You can navigate to different sites where older men and women hang out on the Internet.

  • http://sxj.woodworkingmagnet.info/whole-roped-english-estate.html Woodworking Magnet Blog

    Whole Roped English Estate…

    [...] M THE GREED AND INDIFFERENCE THAT KILLS IT??????????????????? YOU TRULY DO NOT D [...]…

  • http://www8.woodworkingpromo.info/whole-roped-english-estate-bar.html Woodworking Promo Blog

    Whole Roped English Estate Bar…

    [...] T PROTECT OUR WORLD AND ALL LIFE ON IT FROM THE GREED AND INDIFFERENCE THAT KILL [...]…

  • http://riu.woodworkingops.info/whole-roped-english-estate Woodworking Ops Blog

    Whole Roped English Estate…

    [...] REASON. HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOUR SELVES???????? HOW CAN YOU LOOK AT YOUR FACE [...]…

  • http://albert6weaver.bravejournal.com Kim Kardashian tape

    Outstanding weblog, thanks for writing this report

  • http://www.ecotonejournal.com/index.php/member/18393/ Denis Furblur

    I really like your info. Thanks, have a nice day!

  • http://www.jessica-sierra-sextape.com/ jessica sierra sextape

    I enjoyed reading your blog! Thanks for posting such awesome material.

  • http://alcoholismnow.com/benefits-of-non-alcoholic-cocktail-drinks kim kardashian tape

    Excellent article my friend. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for for quite a time now…

  • http://www.mentoneathleticclub.com.au/?p=1 kim kardashian

    great blog! keep up the great work!

  • http://www.worldoft20.com/twenty20-world-cup-squad-of-all-teams kim kardashian video

    ROFL, that thing is so funny. I am going to share that.

  • http://kaqy11.com/index.php/member/34042/ Tiffiny Francom

    Excellent info. Nice piece of info, have a nice day!

  • http://www.andyposner.org/index.php/member/24767/ get women

    very good insight, I really enjoyed reading this, keep it up!

  • http://www.subdivisionmodeling.com/forums/member.php?u=36330 lesson plans writing

    Hi buddy, your blog’s design is simple and clean and i like it. Your blog posts are superb. Please keep them coming. Greets!

  • http://videoconverterrmac.blog.com/2010/06/free-hd-mkv-players-for-mac-os-x-to-enjoy-mkv-files-on-mac/ Kim Kardashian

    Extremely interesting. I like the way you write. Do you currently have an RSS feed?

  • http://www.fvpi.ch/member/3568/ Young Amedeo

    Very helpful site. Thank you, have a nice day!

  • http://www.afgc.org.au/&sa=U&ei=8_-9TOfLKYWvngfuyoCKDg&ved=0CLACEBYwQTi8BQ&usg=AFQjCNG77eHaZXrlfe2INa9RD_nmID8XcQ Jared Crispino

    This weblog appears to recieve a large ammount of visitors. How do you get traffic to it? It offers a nice individual twist on things. I guess having something useful or substantial to say is the most important thing.

  • http://www.akccar.org/ Tabatha Tuckerman

    I’d come to give the go-ahead with you on this. Which is not something I typically do! I love reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to speak my mind!

  • http://forum.sportsmogul.com/member.php?26977-weldon1romero Fishburne

    What a good way to discuss

  • http://dern.org.au/member/22825/ Kim Kardashian

    outstanding post! great advice, will take on board!

  • http://www.cheapfootballtickets.org NFL Football Tickets

    Wow, this was a really quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and never seem to get something done.

  • http://www.intersectionssouthla.org/index.php/member/40094/ Shauna Sand

    I love your blog too much. Keep working on it.

  • http://www.planetphotoshop.com/forum/member.php?u=49596 Karissa Shannon

    Thanks again for the blog. Awesome.

  • http://www.ianstevenson.co.uk/index.php/member/3691/ Jessica Sierra

    I love your blog too much. Keep working on it.

  • http://www.robertearlkeen.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=45133 Sam

    I enjoyed reading your blog! Thanks for posting such awesome material.

  • http://www.escalamusic.com/index.php/forum/member/236061/ Shauna Sand

    I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.

  • http://www.soulcast.com/post/show/685160/Watch-Kim-Kardashian-Video Kim Kardashian

    This is a useful post, but I was wondering how do I suscribe to the RSS feed?

  • http://voices.gardenweb.com/garden_voices/2009/03/gardening-tips-n-ideas-gardening-tips-for-the-beginner-gardener.html gmail

    I’ve been to this blog in the past yet this is about the best posts yet. keep it up!

  • http://fishburne-35.sosblog.com/-b/Montana-Fishburne-Tape-b1-p1.htm Fishburne

    Extremely interesting. I like the way you write. Do you currently have an RSS feed?

  • http://irwin1justice784.webs.com/apps/blog/show/5285714-kim-kardashian-online-video KimK Superstar

    What a good way to discuss

  • http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978685832 dating

    This was informative

  • http://ronpaul.haramie.com/?p=6002 coupon

    Thanks for sharing this helpful info!

  • http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/effects-of-ray-js-sex-tape-on-his-career-3629916.html ray j

    very informative post! thanks!

  • http://perrifamily.net/pg/blog/Labrixik book

    how old is your blog? this is the first time I found it.

  • http://www.e-classes.org/user/view.php?id=1958&course=1 kim kardashian

    you should post more often…

  • http://www.adventuretattoos.com/links/ body art

    how old is your blog? this is the first time I found it.

  • http://www.bo8dyoptimum.info/9.html montana fishnurne

    really great stuff…