"Oil Spill Commission Members Let BP Exec off Easy"

"The co-chairmen of a presidential commission investigating the BP oil spill, former EPA Administrator William Reilly and former Sen. Bob Graham, have said that they want to examine the culture of deepwater drilling, to determine how to make it safer.

But at the commission's first meeting Monday in New Orleans, they didn't ask any probative questions of the one BP executive to testify.

Kent Wells, senior vice president of BP North America, simply gave an update of the relief well and containment process.

When asked why they never pressed Wells about BP's corporate culture and what role it may have played in the decisions that led to the April 20 oil well blowout in the Gulf, two members of the seven-member commission said they were 'just getting warmed up.'"

David Hammer reports for the New Orleans Times-Picayune July 12, 2010.

SEE ALSO:

"Oil-Spill Commission Begins Work by Hearing From Coastal Residents" (Washington Post)

"U.S. Oil Spill Panel Weighs Mounting Economic Impact" (Reuters)

"Oil Spill Panel Faces Challenges, Criticism as It Begins Work" (Washington Post)

"Gulf Oil Spill Commission Short On Technical Expertise" (AP)