Culture of corruption: oil reps gave gifts to rig inspectors

For now it is unknown to what extent federal inspectors may have been “encouraged” to look the other way at the safety practices of BP, Transocean and other big oil companies. What is known is a new Interior Department report excoriates employees of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) for “reprehensible activities” as evidence of a “cozy relationship” between the inspectors and the oil industry.

The report alleges that inspectors received gifts from companies such as lunches and sports tickets as well as used government computers to view porn.

A New York Times report stated that MMS inspectors allowed companies to write out the reports in pencil and the inspectors would later write over them in ink.

The government report recommends terminations, disciplinary action and criminal prosecution against those involved in unethical conduct.