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Obama Administration IGNORES Judge's Ruling on Drilling Moratorium

Meredith Jessup
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As we reported earlier today, a Louisiana Judge threw out President Obama's six-month moratorium on offshore drilling. Tonight, the administration is moving forward with a moratorium.

AP reports that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is issuing a NEW moratorium on deepwater drilling, despite the judge's ruling today:

Salazar pointed to indications of inadequate safety precautions by industry on deepwater wells. He said he would issue a new order in the coming days showing that a moratorium is needed.

This administration clearly has no respect for the separation of powers OR the rule of law. Just unbelievable.

Tags: Congress , Government Spending

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vladimir estragon Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 2:00 PM

"If the government fails to make its case in court, no out of court explanation can bypass the court's ruling. I am not objecting to the government's attempt to clarify its reasoning and appeal the decision - only the issuance of the same moratorium after it has been held invalid by a court."

Fine with me. I don't know what the next ruling will be, but the simple fact remains that saying the administration is DEFYING or IGNORING the judge is a lie.

If you put together a PowerPoint presentation for your boss, and she sends it back saying, "This isn't good enough. You forgot this, this, and this," and you revise it and send it back - do you think you should be fired for defying your boss's wishes?

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SJA Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 12:51 PM

Great post. What this administration is doing is appealing the decision but in the meantime issuing a new moratorium to stop the drilling.

As I see it they are ignoring the courts ruling. Instead of using the legal system as it was intended they are circumventing it.

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Crispian Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 12:36 PM

"In other words, Salazar is very specifically responding to the court's ruling, is following all of the proper steps, and is entirely within the bounds of the strictest possible interpretation of the Constitution."

The way of specifically responding to the court's ruling is through court filings. The lacking justification cited by the court is not to be found in any non-binding explanatory language within the moratorium order, but rather what was presented to the court.

If the government fails to make its case in court, no out of court explanation can bypass the court's ruling. I am not objecting to the government's attempt to clarify its reasoning and appeal the decision - only the issuance of the same moratorium after it...

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Ryan302 Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 11:43 AM

You know better than that. That was done under the Republicans and that makes it okay. On the other hand when the Democrats run things it is bad and vice versa among the rabid partisans.

We know how the game is played.

"Two legs bad, four legs good!"

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Dread Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 11:36 AM

[This administration clearly has no respect for the separation of powers OR the rule of law. Just unbelievable.]

Torture, illegal eavesdropping on citizens, indefinite detention of persons for years, that's all okay.

But we draw the line at interfering with an oil company's bottom line. Obama must go now!

If this is a response to the ruling as Vlad has posted, and the government is just trying to do a better job at posting the information they neglected to post the first time, I don't see the big deal, well, other than the fact that they really should have done it right in the first place.

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vladimir estragon Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 10:21 AM

"Obama Administration IGNORES Judge's Ruling on Drilling Moratorium."

Since your linked story says clearly that the Obama administration is responding to the judge's ruling, your headline is another flat-out lie.

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vladimir estragon Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 10:14 AM

Some of us actually read the story, and immediately after the part Carol quoted was this:

"Salazar said in a statement Tuesday evening that the new order will contain additional information making clear why the six-month drilling pause was necessary in the wake of the Gulf oil spill. The judge in New Orleans who struck down the moratorium earlier in the day complained there wasn't enough justification for it."

In other words, Salazar is very specifically responding to the court's ruling, is following all of the proper steps, and is entirely within the bounds of the strictest possible interpretation of the Constitution.

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Marc_H Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 8:44 AM

when will those that swore to defend the US Constitution from ALL ENEMIES, foriegn and DOMESTIC awake??

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HighlanderJuan Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 6:56 AM

This is where the sovereign states would normally enter the stage and tell the feds to back off.

Where are the states in their opposition to the tyranny?

Why are they so mute? Doesn't anyone who is NOT a socialist have any cajones today? Where are our heroes?

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HighlanderJuan Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 6:54 AM

Excellent points.

Are we Americans ready to acknowledge that our rule of law is dead and that we are being ruled by a communist oligarchy?

This is how life works in a communist country and why they never succeed. No citizen can count on anything being stable - the rules are continually changed. There is no security in law - the ruling elite are the law.

Is this what we want for America? I don't think so.

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NOTW Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 12:56 AM

Good Point. Considering they created thousands of jobs in other areas of government, how hard could it be to find inspectors to monitor this. Room addition construction gets that kind of scrutiny in the name of creating busy work.

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Richard1452 Wrote: Jun 23, 2010 12:39 AM

You are correct! If I remember, Nixon resigned. Glad to see that you believe that the crook, Obama, should also resign!

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cottoneyed Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 10:14 PM

electoral, judicial, or legislatively, just change the rules, find another judge, or simply vote again until you achieve the desired outcome. If you're part of the "ruling class" it's already preordained. Their mission is so important that it supersedes even the Constitution. Salazar is simply following suit, engaging in the high calling of the socialist party. Stand at attention, chin held high, boots together, right arm extended, all hail the socialist party. Peace be upon them!

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JJ88 Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:49 PM

BP is currently drilling relief wells in deep water. The MMS is managing that risk. They can manage the risk of other operators drilling if they wanted to. Could be that they have other motives than public safety or the environment.

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Kenny Z Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:44 PM

If he breaks the law, try him in court. If he loses, he pays the consequences.

Yeah, like that will ever happen!

Remember in November, register to vote, vote in the primaries, and especially vote in November.
Tell everyone you know to do the same and to pass it on to all they know. OUR COUNTRY IS AT STAKE.

God bless America and keep her strong.

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Tazzmax Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:32 PM

Amen!

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Crispian Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:25 PM

During Bush's tenure we heard about the evils of the "unitary executive" doctrine nearly once a week. That phrase departed the American political lexicon as soon as Bush left the White House.

Now that Obama pursues this doctrine as a Benevolent Dictator of the Left we hear only silence.

I'd recommend reading pieces detailing the evils and unconstitutionalities of the unitary executive doctrine like this one:
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/commentary/20060109_bergen.htm l

Pay particular attention to sections like "The Unitary Executive Versus Judicial Supremacy" in which Marbury v. Madison is quoted ("It is emphatically the...

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Rosemary51 Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:23 PM

he will win his "immediate appeal." He thinks he walks on oily water.

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Tazzmax Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:21 PM

This is the behavior of dictators, which is what Chimpy O thinks he has a right to be.

America had better wake up soon!

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Ronna3 Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:20 PM

boggles the mind. This maniacal travesty on America believes there is no limit to his powers. Let's show him there is. Let's vote all libs out in November, as well as all the RHINOS who support the B@$tard, and replace them ALL with new blood. A revolution might be necessary, but that's alright too.

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Ryan302 Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:12 PM

"This administration clearly has no respect for the separation of powers OR the rule of law. Just unbelievable."

True. This administration is simply follow a sorry record set by previous administrations the last few elections. Each new one is worse than the last one.

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paddy o'furniture Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 9:04 PM

I'm going about my life ignoring everything the kenyan says too.

What was that the lefties used to say for the previous 8 years? Oh yeah" He's not MY president.....

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NOTW Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 8:58 PM

Its not against the law...

Didn't Nixon claim that?

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Dan_NV Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 8:55 PM

It would be one thing, if the folks in the Obama cabal challenged the ruling to throw out the drilling moratorium in court. It is another thing entirely, to simply "ignore" it.

This is the final piece of evidence that is needed to convict Obama and those in his administration of assuming dictatorial powers. It should be the final straw used to impeach him for dereliction of duty, gross negligence and failure to uphold the oath he swore to defend. The time has come to make it so.

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Stoic Patriot Wrote: Jun 22, 2010 8:55 PM

Now that we've established (the oh-so holy concept of) precedent that the government is free to ignore the will of the courts, can we finally overturn Roe v Wade once a GOP administration is back in power without having to resort to litigation?

The difference between a liberal administration and a conservative one is that the latter voluntarily handicaps itself, even at the expense of what's good and right. The former demonstrates no such inhibitions.

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