Bachmann: Obama Exceeding Constitutional Authority in Ordering BP to Surrender Funds--'Extortion'

CNSNews ^ | June 16, 2010 | Chistopher Neefus

[muawiyah]

There's an oil site lease involved in this. It's between the United States and BP. It's "administered" by the Executive (branch of government).

Administrative Due Process has not yet been completed, and you gotta' have somebody sign off "Final Agency Decision" before you can go to court.

[GOPJ]

It’s the Chicago Way - first step in a major shakedown...

[Recovering_Democrat]

Isn't this an issue for the COURTS?

Since when does HUSSEIN get to choose how much is paid? If the federal law limiting liability to $75M is unconstitutional, then LET THE COURTS, NOT HUSSEIN and his CAMPAIGN DONOR BRITISH PETROLEUM decide!

[a real Sheila]

wonder what he said to BP in today’s SHORT meeting to make them roll over and give up the $$$.

Sadly, the victims will never see a dime of it.

[luvbach1]

I’d rather BP handed out the money for claims. The money could still be placed in an escrow account, but one in which “the regime” could not impose layers of red tape for accessing it nor favor cronies in its distribution.

[BlessingsofLiberty]

There is no way that Kenneth Feinberg, Obama’s Pay Czar, is an independent third party to monitor the $20 billion escrow account. He answers to no one but Obama.

Call your Congress man or woman....don’t let this stand.

[6ppc]

And why didn’t BP have a lawyer with its execs today to say “this isn’t constitutional” to Obummer?

They did...guess who? Jamie Gorelick!

[stephenjohnbanker]

” No company could be so inept as to hire a dirty politician/bureaucrat like Gorelick to deal with a punk like obama- unbless they are ALLLLL in the tank “

I wonder.

[Genoa]

Is extortion unconstitutional?

[marron]

Sadly, the victims will never see a dime of it.

May I make a prediction here?

If another president and vice president of recent memory are any guide, I think a couple of years down the road we'll be hearing that yet another former president, who has never had a real job in his life outside of government, somehow magically has $250 million in his checking account. Or maybe billions in paper assets.

Sure, they obtained all that after they left office, sure they did. Except, nobody pays off an ex-president.

[6ppc]

If she plays BP the way she played FNMA, her main concern was how much of a cut she got for brokering the deal

Exactly what I was thinking...

[stephenjohnbanker]

Where are the Brits?

Are they just going to roll over for the dictator Obama?

Chavez and Obama are the same.

[SteveH]

Contrary to Obama’s wording in last night’s speech, he didn’t “order them” to create the escrow fund. He just pressured them into it, and they agreed (acquiesced).

Pressure of any sort is illegal under the 5th IMHO (IANAL)-- administrative remedy paperwork completed or not.

I would imagine that BP shareholders have a stake and as soon as the stock goes down, or upcoming dividends are threatened, BP shareholders have standing due to monetary damages inflicted by the president's public and blatantly unconstitutional pressure.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for your post, I had no idea.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

BP is making a serious, serious mistake agreeing to this.

Mark my words. This money will all be stolen.

[muawiyah]

The case is not "ripe" for court action, nor has the agency that administers the government's side of the site lease signed off on a statement that there's been a "final agency decision".

This is called Administrative Due Process. The Courts usually reject cases involving the US government unless the government says it's made its final decision.

[livius]

The jurisdictional issue has been, I think, one of the most underreported issues that has gone on in the last 18 months, because this is a shocking story what’s happened in the last 18 months, because an economist from Arizona State University has calculated that in 18 months time, beginning unfortunately under a Republican president with the generation of the TARP fund, the federal government effectively--we have gone from 100 percent ownership of the private economy in private hands to 51 percent ownership of the private economy directly owned or controlled by the federal government. That is the stunner story that has been very underreported.

Very true. I really like her...I hope we hear a LOT more from her in the future.

[GOPJ]

Except, nobody pays off an ex-president.

Same with Senators and Representatives - they go to Washington middle class - people who have never been able to make millions - and within a few years they're millionaires. Odd stuff.

[muawiyah]

Let the stakeholders go to court if they wish.

So far the government has not done anything that isn't allowed under the terms of the lease ~ else BP would have gone to court for injunctive relief.

The Fifth Amendment simply does not apply in this case EXCEPT for the people who are harmed, and their recourse is against the government!

[Spok]

If Obama gets his hands on BP money, the gulf victims will never see it! It will vanish into the same black hole with the stimulus money.