So Feinberg comes down to the Gulf Coast to speak to residents and explain the three options available to people filing claims and is now halfway through his meetings, held in Moss Point, Bay St. Louis and Grand Isle…and what happens? Well, what did you think would happen? In Moss Point: John Fraleigh of Kiln, Miss said he is barely hanging on. He’s a month … Continue reading Nice Meeting, Feinberg…now what? How about a petition?
The Gulf Coast Claims Facility was created with the stated purpose of handling claims brought by the people so harmed when British Petroleum spilled millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. It was supposed to be done fairly, and with haste and this was promised by its neutral arbitrator, Ken Feinberg. Neither appears to have happened. The claims process is not perceived … Continue reading The GCCF: Sowing the Seeds of Discord
Transparency. When it come to the GCCF, there is none. The Justice Department has called for transparency in how the claims process is being handled. Attorney Generals in the Gulf Coast have called for it. The residents with claims in the pipeline have demanded it. Feinberg has promised it. But still, there is no transparency. Instead we have a wall of secrecy erected around the … Continue reading Where there’s smoke…there’s Feinberg
Up at five, par usual and scanning the headlines, reading the articles and I don’t know where to begin, what to write about. Brain’s feeling foggy and there’s a whole lotta misery out there: We got birds falling out of the sky, massive fish kills on the rivers and coasts and the bees, the pollinators of a third of our food supply are dying off, 96% … Continue reading Feeling a bit overwhelmed today…
Hey all… A simple request for help: Yesterday, I received a message from a person in Louisiana regarding a claim with Ken Feinberg’s GCCF, which shows just a photograph of the frustration thousands are having with their oil spill claims. The person who wrote this letter states several different business owners with quick pay claims have received similar correspondence from the GCCF as shown below. … Continue reading What denial looks like…a request for help with the GCCF
Oh man, sometimes this story just writes itself…from the – “are you serious?” file comes this article in the Times Picayune: A spokeswoman for the Gulf Coast Claims Facility told The Associated Press on Thursday that fund czar Ken Feinberg has agreed to pay New York University professor Stephen Gillers for a letter he produced stating that Feinberg is neutral and not subject to BP’s direction or … Continue reading Feinberg uses BP money to pay for letter saying he is neutral
The Associated Press reports British Petroleum will survive the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico: Cleanup, government fines, lawsuits, legal fees and damage claims will likely exceed the $40 billion that BP has publicly estimated, according to an Associated Press analysis. But they’ll be far below the highest estimates made over the summer by legal experts and prominent Wall Street banks, such as Goldman … Continue reading BP’s gonna be okay…coastal residents? Umm, not so much, not yet
Who do you trust? Who do you believe? Who’s looking out for you and who is not? Such are the questions in the Gulf Coast, about the claims process and the safety of Gulf seafood. In the federal version, the seafood is fine, the FDA is doing their testing and everything is coming up aces while Feinberg is doing his best as a neutral arbitrator … Continue reading Who do you trust?
1. Repeat Super Bowl Championship for the New Orleans Saints. 2. Tie Ken Feinberg to the left upright of the goalpost and Bob Dudley to the right so even if Garret Hartley bounces one during said Super Bowl, I still get a sense of satisfaction. 3. Bobby Jindal marooned, stranded on one of his sand berms with David Vitter, the Skipper and Gilligan. 4. Save … Continue reading Christmas List…
Clearly defined rules. It isn’t that difficult, or at least it shouldn’t be. In any process where a determination is made, where a judgment will be proffered, clearly defined rules not only protect the claimant, they protect the arbitrator. Rules let people know where they stand, what they need to do, what damage they need to show and upon showing said damage, they then have … Continue reading It’s the Transparency, Stupid…
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 