The Associated Press has picked up a Times Picayune article on Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser, an outspoken critic of the BP oil leak cleanup response, titled "BP Adding Piers to Marina in which Plaquemines President Billy Nungesser Has Ownership Share."
The newspaper article states that Nungesser "has an interest in a Port Sulphur marina that is being refurbished on the oil company's dime." Nungesser has appeared frequently on CNN and other outlets demanding an expedited response to wetlands cleanup. He responded exclusively to the article in NewOrleans.com today, part of that response posted here:
"Unbeknownst to me, BP worked out a deal with the Marina because it's located close to the oil in Barataria Bay. To this day I have no knowledge of who made those arrangements with the Marina and what they are paying. Keep in mind that by law any business interests I have were put into a blind trust when I ran for office and I have no knowledge about or input into their activities. The Times Picayune printed, 'Like many of his constituents who own businesses, Nungesser has turned to BP for income while simultaneously chastising the company for wreaking havoc on the regional economy.' That statement is absolutely untrue. I have never turned to BP for anything other than to prevent the oil from killing our marsh, to clean the oil out of our marsh in a timely and efficient manner, and to make our fishermen whole. And I will continue to represent Plaquemines Parish honestly and ethically as Parish President. I have been BP's biggest critic and to imply that they would be doing anything favorably for me personally is unfair at a time when we are at war with this oil...
