Judge favored by BP has financial ties to oil industry

[Turborama]

Source: CNN

The judge that BP wants to hear an estimated 200 lawsuits over the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster gets tens of thousands of dollars a year in oil royalties and is paid travel expenses to industry conferences, financial disclosure forms show.

Lawyers who practice before U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes say he's tough but fair, and a CNN review of his cases found he ruled in favor of oil companies only slightly more often than he ruled against them. But his connections to the industry have raised eyebrows at a time when BP is under fire for the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

Federal financial disclosure forms obtained by CNN show that since 2003, Hughes has consistently been paid annual fees from the oil and gas industry, mostly in the form of lease payments for wells and mineral rights on land he owns. None of the payments comes from BP, but his holdings include mutual funds that draw income from Anadarko Petroleum, a minority owner in the well now pouring up to 2.5 million gallons a day into the Gulf.

In some cases, the amounts are significant. In others, the payments are relatively small.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/06/17/bp.judge.oil.ties/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

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BUSTED: Rep. Who Apologized To BP Has Taken Millions From Big Oil: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x345560

[sakabatou]

1. Can someone say, "conflict of interest?"

[Hubert Flottz]

2. "conflict of interest?" is so "Quaint"

The law is for the "Little people"...the big people own and operate it.

[northernlights]

3. hey, now, be fair. BP only wants the best justice

its money can buy. :grr: :grr: :grr: