CNN "Anderson Cooper 360" - Transcript

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

COOPER: Congressman, I just talked to Professor Leifer, who is on the -- the flow rate team that is trying to analyze how much oil is actually coming out. And he told me something that just stunned me, that today is the first day he's actually seeing high-resolution video from this well that -- that BP has just released.

I mean, this is day 50 of the disaster. Does that make any sense to you?

REP. EDWARD MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: It makes no sense at all, which is why I demanded today that BP release the high-definition video.

It's almost as though they think we're still living in an analog world, not a digital world. And the clarity of the picture obviously is key to determining how big the spill is, and, as a result, how big the response has to be, in terms of the protections which are put in place for the people who live in the Gulf.

So, this is just one more example from four weeks ago, five weeks ago, when I demanded that they -- that they put up the video the first time, to today, when I had to demand that they put it up in high- definition, so that the scientists can make precise determinations as to how big this oil spill is going to become.

COOPER: Right. I mean, that's the thing the American people need to understand. They wouldn't -- no one would be able to have seen this video if it wasn't for you and the efforts of others on Capitol Hill to get this video released.

But -- but this question of this high-resolution video, I mean, this isn't just something that reporters want to see because the pictures are better so we can show people at home. I mean, this would have an impact on the ability of scientists to actually accurately study the flow of oil. I mean, this is crucially important.

MARKEY: The top scientists in the United States and around the world are ready to work on helping to solve this problem. BP keeps denying that information to other experts that can ensure that the size of the spill and, as a result, the size of the response, is accurate.

And so this is just one more example of where BP just stands for betraying the people. They have done it from the beginning, and they are continuing right up until today.

COOPER: BP says they have been releasing high-resolution video as early as the week of May 24th.

Are you aware of any scientist, independent scientist, who's actually seen that video before today? MARKEY: No.

Independent scientists have not had access to that video. That's why I requested -- I demanded that they release the high-resolution footage today.

COOPER: Did you even know about this video before you read about scientists talking about it in the press? I mean, that's -- that's the first time I read about it today. Did you know this video even existed?

MARKEY: I did not.

I assumed that, by this late date, that BP would finally decide that honesty was the best policy. But again, this is a pattern of conduct that goes back to the very first week, when they denied that they had already conducted an analysis which showed that the spill was 1,000 to 14,000 barrels. They maintained it was only 1,000 barrels.

And now we know that it's not 14,000 barrels either, or 15,000, or probably 20,000, but even higher. It's all part of BP's attempts to, one, lower the amount of penalty which they are going to have to pay, because they are fined per barrel of oil per day, and two, limit their ultimate damages, because the size of the spill will determine how much, ultimately, they are going to have to pay.

COOPER: So, you think this is about money? This is an -- you believe that this is an effort on their part to just, you know, throw up as many roadblocks as they can, try to slow things down as much as they can in terms of investigation, so, ultimately, they can reduce the amount of money they are going to have to pay?

MARKEY: I do believe that BP has been about their legal team from the first week. I think it's clear in retrospect. It's clear even this week, with regard to this high-resolution video. The lawyers are giving them advice with regard to a strategy to minimize their ultimate liability to the government of our country and to the people of the United States.

COOPER: Congressman Ed Markey, appreciate your time. Thank you, sir.

MARKEY: Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source