Another Lazarus has been raised; not from the dead this time, but from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Richard Lazarus, the Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. Professor of Law and co-director of the Supreme Court Institute, has been tapped to lead the investigation in to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lazarus will be the executive director of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. The commission, headed by former Senator Bob Graham of Florida and former EPA director William Reilly, has been set on a fact-finding mission to determine the cause of the spill—which is in its 66th day—as well as how to prevent future similar catastrophes.
Lazarus is well experienced in environmental law: he’s worked for the Justice Department in the Solicitor General’s Office and the Environmental & Natural Resources Division, not to mention that he has also argued 30 environmental law cases in front of the Supreme Court.
However, President Obama’s choice hasn’t pleased everyone, especially those who support offshore drilling. Dr. Michael Economides, editor-in-chief of Energy Tribune, argues that this appointment is more political then technical. He claims that Lazarus lacks the expertise in oil production and drilling, and he was appointed because of his opposition to offshore drilling.
Lazarus is currently on a leave of absence from Georgetown Law while he serves on the commission.
Photo taken from the Georgetown Law website.