Who is Don Vidrine? The BP Man responsible for the Leak?

First off... don't let anyone tell you there were "lots of variables" with this "accident"...

There weren't. There was one constant amongst all of it... namely Donald Vidrine

So there is this guy, who was mentioned during the hearings yesterday on capitol hill...

His name is Donald Vidrine... and he was the guy who is responsible for pushing the unsafe measures against the will of the oil rig crew...

Here is the Wall Street Journal Article detailing this...

It wasn't clear what Mr. Harrell objected to specifically about BP's instructions, but the rig's primary driller, Dewey Revette, and tool pusher, Miles Randall Ezell, both of Transocean, also disagreed with BP, Mr. Brown said. However, BP was in charge of the operation and the BP representative prevailed, Mr. Brown said.

"The company man was basically saying, 'This is how it's gonna be,' " said Mr. Brown, who didn't recall the name of the BP representative in question.

The article is from May 27th, and references a court hearing that was supposed to take place that week.

Mr. Vidrine was supposed to testify Thursday but dropped out, citing an undisclosed medical issue, according to a Coast Guard spokeswoman. Another top BP official who was scheduled to testify Thursday, Robert Kaluza, declined to do so, asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, the Coast Guard spokeswoman said.

What I want to know... is WHERE IS HE NOW? Is he at home... in barabados? Some other location?

And when will he be sequestered by the Congress... I want to see his testimony detailing why he made the decisions he did....Why he didn't listen to the safety concerns of the Transocean rig workers.... and what BP plans on doing about his continued employment.


Now this doesn't excuse the fact that the US gov was being sued for the MMS lack of oversight long before this...

[edit on 18-6-2010 by HunkaHunka]

Good point.

Bowing out on medical grounds looks like a cop out.

Although medical grounds could also mean a complete and utter nervous breakdown as his conscience comes face to face with the havoc that has been reaped upon the Gulf of Mexico.

I agree - medical condition or not - answers needed and under oath.

Thanks

Bravo

reply to post by HunkaHunka


I am not prepared to draw conclusions about this accident.

There is clearly some issues that our investigation has identified a..and when the investigation is complete, we will draw the right conclusion.

Just to add some more material to this....

It was known well-before the "hearings" started....

Big spat on rig preceded explosion

They knew this would come out... have they found their sacrificial lamb?

Responsible is two words smashed together.

It is part of the Illuminati word game they play with Corporations.

The word really means Response-able, the person has the ability to respond.

The man was response-able, he could of changed a few things instead of pressuring into the whole situation.

But now there is no way the above man can even do anything to the cleaning up of this huge mess.

Lets clean the crap up, which I doubt will happen, not even a Louisiana Governor can do anything to clean up. It is already a thread.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

abcnews.go.com...

So lets blame the guy after the mess gets cleaned up, otherwise hes going to be in court and the court system can take years to get anything settled.

Yeah, I'm glad they finally found this guy.

Simple paper pusher, who didn't want to spend the money on the Drill mud, and he had absolutely NO IDEA what he was doing.

I have no doubt that this was motivated by the need to increase shareholder profit margins, thus making BP into a more attractive investment for those dirty dollars.

You know... I used to have a Manager who Said: "The longest distance between two points, is a short cut"

I see exactly what he means by this, in the Gulf Oil Spill Situation.


As far as some people stating that "The damage is done" and that we "Don't need the Blame Game"

That is a little childish, don't you think?

We punish people for their crimes for TWO reasons.

1. We don't need people like that running around in society...

and

2. We want to make it clear to the world that if THIS the path you choose... then THESE are the CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE IMPOSED.

Responsibility does not mean "They who are able to respond" that is ludicrous wordplay.

Responsibility means the one who MUST respond, because they are the ones that CAUSED the situation.


Sure, maybe he was a mere puppet to the whims of the Public Company Trading scheme that controls the world...

Maybe he HAD to make this discussion to increase the stock price of BP, or he would have been fired... and someone else would have replaced him.


Sure.... the entire global economic system is *DESIGNED* to have ONE LOGICAL CONCLUSION: Totalitarian Plutocracy... where one group of shareholders own the entire world, and consume all resources to fulfill DEMANDS of the business cycle.


But regardless...

If you are the one to start the Fire.... then YOU are responsible for the Damages that are incurred.


I could probably extend this culpability to the Rig-Operators from TransOcean... if *ONLY* for the reason that they did not beat the [snip] out of this guy, and throw him BODILY into the Gulf of Mexico for demanding such a suicidal action.

Be assured, if I were on that rig, and knew what was going on.... that man would have been my *TARGET* for EXTREME PREJUDICE.

And [snip] the consequences.

-Edrick

Here is a company that made billions in profits two years ago during the oil scam.
www.guardian.co.uk...
www.dailymail.co.uk...

Now they have to cut cost on a project.

This is BS to the highest degree.

Originally posted by trolleleet
reply to post by HunkaHunka

 

I am not prepared to draw conclusions about this accident.

There is clearly some issues that our investigation has identified a..and when the investigation is complete, we will draw the right conclusion.

Brilliant use of humor there...

Originally posted by Maxmars
Just to add some more material to this....

It was known well-before the "hearings" started....

Big spat on rig preceded explosion

They knew this would come out... have they found their sacrificial lamb?

There was one point yesterday at which Tony Hayward denied that there was any altercation on the oil rig prior... Though im sure this is all part of what his lawyers have probably said could be claimed under plausibilie deniability.

Though im surprised he denied it outright

reply to post by Edrick


I couldn't agree more!

So is this the guy who over rode all the cautions and objections and said "drill anyway"?

How is it that one person would be allowed to have that much power and authority over the "experts" and "advisors"?

Why would one person be allowed to make this decision against all advice?

Surely he is involved in a major way, but is it plausible that the decision can be blamed on just one person...or is he talking the fall for the decision of many...or obeying orders from above him?

reply to post by Alethea


I think he was doing what he was paid to do. Be a pain-in-the-ass bean counter!

After all, that's what corporations do!

Originally posted by HunkaHunka

There was one point yesterday at which Tony Hayward denied that there was any altercation on the oil rig prior... Though im sure this is all part of what his lawyers have probably said could be claimed under plausibilie deniability.

Though im surprised he denied it outright

You called it! As of today he 'officially' knows nothing about the operations.... Let's see how the corporate historians catalog this baby!

I watched the C-Span testimony in the Coast Guard hearing, and several other interviews with the survivors. By both the survivors testimony, and the actions of BP in keeping two of their managers hidden from examination, its pretty obvious that there was a fight over removing the drilling mud, and that the BP execs overrode the concerns of the Transocean drillers. While its true that the Bop was damaged, there is no guarantee that it would have held against the pressure that was coming from the well anyway. The root cause for the explosion, IMHO is the removal of the heavy drilling mud by the BP management.

How about the gyys kid. Hes running for congress as a drill baby drill less regulation candidate.

7th district Peter Vidrine (Constitution Party)

Thank You for your interest in my run for U.S. Representative in Louisiana's 7th District. In coming months, you will find this isn't a typical political campaign, just as I am not a typical candidate.

I decided to run in 2008 because our state and nation are in dire need of returning to our core founding values. While you might hear other candidates talking about change, our campaign is focused on Restoring America to its original founding principles.

If You agree that our federal government has become a monstrous burden on its people ... if You are also disheartened, seeing our personal freedoms rapidly exchanged for false security ... If You too wish to take America Back, then I need Your Support!
.

peternow.com...

What About Current Gas Prices?
As I have been visiting around the district, meeting people, the one consistent question I'm being asked is, "What will you do about the price of gas?"

Should the current trend remain the same, which we should expect with our current President and Congress, in 2008 we will export over 651 billion dollars to other countries for oil. Worse yet, over 416 billion of those dollars will be given to our enemies. Yes, this year, Americans (You and I) will be giving 416 billion dollars to nations who wish to see us annihilated. And, what is George Bush or Congress (or Lord Boustany) doing about it? Really, not a thing.

Oh, they are making some new noise ... as could be predicted, blaming the Democrats for the current oil pricing. Now they are demanding that we open up drilling in ANWR and the Outer Continental Shelf. Great idea, but too little ... too late. For six years we had a Republican President, Republican House and Republican Senate. When they had absolute power to achieve that necessary goal, what did they do? NOTHING. Absolutely NOTHING. Indeed, whatever John McCain may spew out in the future, he historically voted against exploration in ANWR and offshore drilling. But, this gives them a little Tonka toy to crash into the Democrats Tonka toy. A lot of noise with absolutely no substance. Americans will continue being raped and pillaged by our enemies and our leaders could not care less.

In April, when oil hit the $130 per barrel mark, oil man T. Boone Pickens predicted that oil would reach $150.00 per barrel in the near future. Goldman Sachs predicted it would reach $200 per barrel. Their predictions were based on the pricing frenzy on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Of course, they have no problems with the pricing reaching those levels. While you and I are paying $4.00 per gallon of gasoline and $4.50 for diesel, they are making lots of profits ... that, of course, our enemies also profit from.

What will our federal government do if oil reaches $200 per barrel? $300 per barrel? $400 per barrel? No plans yet. Just as they had no plans for when it hit $130 per barrel. You can count on it, however, the Democrats will blame the Republicans and the Republicans will blame the Democrats, and you and I will suffer further.

So, what will Peter Vidrine do to put oil prices when they should be (in a free marker of supply and demand?) First, I will support offshore drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf and exploration in ANWR. This should never have been a political issue. It's a national security issue. It's absolutely ridiculous to watch our President and the neocons saber rattling against the terrorists, while openly supporting them financially by blocking exploration and production in the United States. Their hypocrisy is repulsing.

Second, we need to turn over all offshore production royalties to the coastal states hosting oil and gas production. For too many years, Louisiana and Texas have been producing the bulk of this nation's oil and gas supply, yet to little benefit to the states. While states like Florida and California do everything in their power to prevent offshore exploration and development off their coasts, they reap the benefits of what we're doing in Louisiana and Texas. If each state could benefit directly from the royalties of oil and gas production off their coasts, you would certainly see greater support to extract fuel in those states.

Third, we must immediately curtail speculation. The reality is that there is no oil shortage and demand has not gone up. Most analysts estimate that based on current supply & demand, the price of oil should be around $50-60 per barrel. It is no longer OPEC controlling prices, it is Wall Street speculators. Of course, OPEC and our enemies are more than happy to have the speculators doing their dirty work ... they're doing a better job. There are many options we have to rein in the speculators. Congress should do it. Congress MUST do it.

Fourth, really, really support the research and development of alternative fuels. We need to run away from the insane option of subsidizing corn based ethanol (aside from destroying our food chain, it will be an environmental and economic disaster), and take a serious look at cellulose and sugar cane based ethanol. Even today, the seventh district has a plant in Jennings (Verenium) developing the process to convert bagasse (Sugar cane waste) and other wastes into alcohol. Cellulose based ethanol will have no negative impact of our food supply environment, it just makes sense.

Whenever our President and Congress decide to quit playing politics with oil & gas and quit letting Wall Street play Virtual Casino with our gas and home heating oil affordability, then and only then will sanity dictate what you and I spend at the gas pumps.

Your vote for Peter Vidrine will certainly bring a voice of reason and concern to Washington; a voice, not a whimper.

peternow.com...

So he runs for office in 1996 while working for Marathon Oil Company? So what oil company is paying him to run now?

Peter Vidrine has been a lifelong resident of Eunice, LA. A graduate of St. Edmund High School (Eunice), he began his career early as an electrician.

After years of working as a construction electrician in Louisiana, he became employed with Marathon Oil Company in 1987. After three years of working on an offshore oil platform, Marathon promoted him to a position, first, as an Reservoir Engineering Technician, then later as an Advanced IT Specialist. In 2000, Marathon Oil Company reduced the Lafayette office to a minimal staffing level. Preferring to remain in Acadiana, Peter requested to not be considered for a transfer to Marathon's Houston office.

Returning to his roots as an electrician, Peter became employed in the Automation & Controls field. Later, in 2005, he started a new company, Sirius Technologies, in Eunice, LA. Sirius Technologies has had an average of 16 employees in the service industry.

Peter is married to the former Aline Saucier from Opelousas. Married 25 years, they have three children, Jordan, Alex, and Stephanie (who has gone to meet Jesus.) They are members of Unity Baptist Church in Opelousas, where Peter and Aline are children's ministers.

In 1996, Peter ran for U.S. Representative as a Republican, in a field of 8 candidates. As a full time employee of Marathon Oil Company, his ability to actively campaign was severely restrained. He chose to complete the race, however, since no other candidate was committed to constitutional conservatism. Spending only $2,000 of his own money, he finished the race with over 5,000 votes. While he has considered running for office again, he never felt the right opportunity. In 2008, in consideration of the major problems facing our nation today and the current opportunity to be involved full time in campaigning, Peter had decided to run again.

While other candidates for office focus on personalities, Peter is committed to focus on the real issues facing the constituents and their children today.

.

peternow.com...

reply to post by JBA2848


HOLY COW!!!

Thanks! This is another HUGE development...


Why though, would someone who's son is a DRILL BABY DRILL candidate be so lax on safety? You would think you would want to make oil drilling look as much like a trip to disneyland as possible...

So he ran for offices with no money or he never bother reporting the money. Seems like he just didn't report it.

www.campaignmoney.com...

Both of these men are *adults*. "The sins of the father..." or "The sins of the son..." smacks of the "stiff-necked" intolerance of bygone eras.