What the hell is this crap? BP is suddenly deciding who can and can not fly over the Gulf of Mexico?
The latest instance of denied press access comes from Belle Chasse, La.-based Southern Seaplane Inc., which was scheduled to take a New Orleans Times-Picayune photographer for a flyover on Tuesday afternoon, and says it was denied permission once BP officials learned that a member of the press would be on board.
"We are not at liberty to fly media, journalists, photographers, or scientists," the company said in a letter it sent on Tuesday to Sen. David Vitter (R-La.). "We strongly feel that the reason for this massive [temporary flight restriction] is that BP wants to control their exposure to the press."
I really have to wonder which entity has more power here. The federal government, the American people (and press) or British Petroleum. I mean, it really seems as though the government, people and press are being manhandled by BP.