Updated – Judge Blocking Drilling Ban Is Corrupt: Deep Holdings in Oil-Gas Industry

Update: From the AP (Anderson and Kunzelman): “[Judge] Feldman’s 2008 financial disclosure report — the most recent available — also showed investments in Ocean Energy, a Houston-based company, as well as Quicksilver Resources, Prospect Energy, Peabody Energy, Halliburton, Pengrowth Energy Trust, Atlas Energy Resources, Parker Drilling and others. Halliburton was also involved in the doomed Deepwater Horizon project.”

Looks like BP found the corrupt judge they were looking for.

By Charlie Savage in the NYT

A federal judge in New Orleans on Tuesday blocked a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling projects that the Obama administration imposed after the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The White House swiftly vowed to appeal the ruling.

In a 22-page opinion, the judge, Martin L. C. Feldman of United States District Court, issued a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of a late May order halting all offshore exploratory drilling in more than 500 feet of water.

Citing potential economic harm to businesses and workers, Judge Feldman wrote that the Obama administration had failed to justify the need for such “a blanket, generic, indeed punitive, moratorium” on deepwater oil and gas drilling.

Turns out the good judge is bought and paid for.

From the folks at the Defense Base Act Compensation Blog:

Feldman’s financial disclosure report for 2008, the most recent available, shows holdings in at least eight petroleum companies or companies that invest in them, including Transocean Ltd., which owned the Deepwater Horizon [oil rig].

The lawsuit was filed by Hornbeck Offshore Services of Covington, La., and company CEO Todd Hornbeck said after the ruling he is looking forward to getting back to work.