The Obama Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit against BP

Obama Justice Department Sues BP, Eight Other Companies in Gulf Oil Disaster

December 15th, 2010
The Obama Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit against BP and eight other companies on Wednesday for their role in causing in the Gulf oil blowout in an effort to recover billions of dollars from the largest offshore environmental disaster in U.S. history.
The lawsuit asks that the companies be held liable without limitation under the Oil Pollution Act for all removal costs and damages caused by the oil in the Gulf, including damages to natural resources. The lawsuit also seeks civil penalties under the Clean Water Act.
“We intend to prove these violations caused or contributed to the massive oil spill,” Attorney General Eric Holder told a news conference (see video above).

The amount of damages and the extent of injuries sustained by the United States as a result of the Deepwater Horizon Spill are not yet fully known, the lawsuit states.
See the full breaking news story from the Associated Press here:
Obama Administration Sues BP and Eight Other Companies for Gulf Oil Disaster