McCollum gets partisan after Obama news conference on oil spill, calling govt. "derelict"

"My office and the Florida State Emergency Response Team are working to


ensure the protection of our sensitive marine sites. We are also assisting


Floridians involved in the claims process by ensuring the process is


accurate and efficient, to the benefit of those whose lives have been


drastically impacted by this devastating event. Two days ago I sent a


letter to BP requesting a clear and unambiguous response to the threat of


hurricanes, and I intend to do everything within my power to continue


holding the company accountable. My office is also currently evaluating


legal theories should future enforcement or litigation become necessary to


address BP's responsibility for this catastrophic event."

The reaction in the media world has been skeptical after President Obama's first news conference in 10 months today, which with the exception of three questions, was all about the massive oil spill that continues to flow unabated.

Early Thursday night, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, already at war with the Obama administration as the leader of the group of Attorneys General suing the government regarding the federal mandate portion of the health care reform bill, issued a press release in which he calls the federal government's response "lackluster" and "derelict".  You can read it all below:

"President Obama’s press conference today only reinforced what Floridians

have known for weeks – the federal government is not doing everything it

can to prevent further damage from the Deepwater Horizon spill. To those in

the impact zone and anyone being affected by the magnitude of the spill,

this is unacceptable.

"Multiple briefings and commissions will not prevent further damage from

the uncontrolled flow and the marine estuaries and wetlands damaged by the

lack of oversight will not somehow clean themselves. The administration has

been derelict in removing administrative barriers to help the Gulf States

prevent the catastrophe from reaching our shores and is now appearing to

take credit for the development of the Top Kill Solution – a standard

industry practice – to bolster its lack of engagement and lackluster

response.

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