They surely deserve it but oil spillers now face something almost worse than an exploding rig: Ambitious politicians.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, eager to boost his newly-independent Senate candidacy, is among the most aggressive politicos targeting oil bosses. The ex-Republican, hardly a consistent player on drilling issues over the years, now plans to haul the state legislature into special session later this month to push for a constitutional ban on oil drilling in state waters. If that doesn’t work, look for Crist to consider trying to put the measure on the ballot in November as a get-out-the-vote tool.
In a pitch for marketing funds to lure tourists to state beaches, Crist wrote a letter asking for $34.75 million from BP, the company in the spotlight of the spill disaster. That might be a small price to pay if Big Oil wants to avoid a statewide ban on drilling, which voters would probably approve if given the chance.
In Washington, lawmakers grilled company executives in anticipation of what will likely be a wave of new regulations. And the White House rushed to offer a series of proposals for funding spill relief and taxing drill companies.