Martin Feldman is accused of conflict of interests
Martin Feldman ruled yesterday that a six-month drilling moratorium in the Gulf was unjustified because it assumed all deep water drilling was as dangerous as BP’s. Feldman, who had shares in the oil industry, has been accused of a conflict of interest. In financial disclosure forms dated 2008, the Louisiana-based judge had holdings in Transocean (the firm that owned the rig which exploded and killed 11 oil workers) and other industry firms, including Haliburton. While other judges have disqualified themselves from oil related claims because of their shares, others have sold their holdings so that they can take on cases. Feldman has yet to respond to the alleged conflict of interest.