State Lawmakers Upset with Feinberg's No-Show
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
By: Trimmel Gomes, WFSU

April 12, 2011 | WMFE Kenneth Feinberg, the man in charge of BP's $20 billion relief fund for businesses hurt by last year's Gulf oil spill, has told state lawmakers he will skip a previously-scheduled appearance to answer their questions. The lawmakers are not pleased.

In February, Feinberg told a Florida House committee he would come back to update lawmakers about his progress in making the claims process more efficient and transparent.  He was scheduled to speak to the Senate Agriculture Committee earlier this week.  Instead, he sent a letter saying he was unable to attend, but that he would like to appear sometime in May.  Lawmakers are worried he will not appear at all, since the legislative session ends May 6th.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Gary Siplin (D-Orlando) proposed issuing a subpoena to force Feinberg to attend, but Senator Alan Hays (R-Umatilla) said that would be pointless.

“He’s indicating his lack of concern by not even coming to the state until after April,” Hays said.

“What good’s it going to do to subpoena somebody who really doesn’t care?”