Tag: Danny Becnel

Levees.org gets reaction from Attorney Joe Bruno on the 5th Circuit tossing Katrina Canal Breaches: “This is politics, not law.”

In fact here is the exact quote via Levees.org:

This ruling is obscenely obnoxious. It’s as though the panel said in March that a red light is red, and supplied an abundance of reasons and precedents that the red light is red. But now, the panel says the red light is green, and says it in just one and a half pages. This is politics, not law.

I absolutely agree with Joe this is all about politics.  Joe Bruno in fact is an expert at wallowing in the political pig sty per Slabbed’s Porteous judicial impeachment coverage and yes, IMHO his mere presence would clear a room of respectable lawyers in under 30 seconds flat. (Links here, here and here).

Our readers can find an analysis of the case here (h/t Editilla).  I’ll add I heard from a defense attorney this week that took the exact opposite position on the interpretation of the sovereign immunity laws.  That said the about face does add an interesting twist.

Speaking of politics and lawyers that specialize in peddling political influence, Secret Agent 99 reports Bruno has been spotted cuddled up with Magnum in uptown social circles.  Additionally Navy Secretary Ray Mabus has been a frequent guest of lawyer Robert Becnel uptown.  Becnel is brother to self-proclaimed King of Torts Danny Becnel and a long time friend of Mabus.  I figure the sharks are circling the BP oil spill fine honey pot.

These are interesting times in the salons of uptown high society.  Though the secretary may disavow knowledge of our actions, Slabbed has accepted the assignment and has intelligence assets in place to bring this unfolding story home.

Twice right – Attorney General Jim Hood asks Judge Barbier to oversee BP claims settlement

After the the Class-Action-that-didn’t-happen early on in Hurricane Katrina litigation, alternative resolution was made available.  According to the website of the Jackson office of Baker Donelson, this option was the “brainchild” of the former assistant commissioner of the Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) and current Baker Donelson attorney, Lee Harrell:

Established the MID Hurricane Katrina Mediation Program and the U.S. Federal Court Mediation Program, which streamlined the claims handling process and resolved thousands of claims quickly and satisfactorily without lengthy and expensive litigation…

Others see Harrell and his brainchild in a different light – mediation fraud.

However, it would have been preventable mediation fraud had the Southern District Mississippi court taken oversight of the process as requested by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.  Via a recently filed “Statement of Interest on Behalf of the State of Mississippi”, Hood has made a similar request of  Judge Barbier for much the same reason he ask the Mississippi court to protect hurricane disaster victims:

The Attorney General’s Statement to U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier asks the court to take control in order “to correct the deficiencies in the GCCF as outlined in the PSC’s Motion and in this Statement of Interest, in order to facilitate the timely and just processing of claims…“I want Mr. Feinberg to continue paying claims, but I want the process to be transparent, fair and fast…”

Judge Barbier has additional incentive provided by he-who-didn’t-make-the-Steering-Committee.  Continue reading “Twice right – Attorney General Jim Hood asks Judge Barbier to oversee BP claims settlement”