Oil Spill Judge Dumped His Energy Stocks

The Louisiana federal judge who struck down a six-month ban on deepwater oil drilling has sold many of his energy investments, a financial disclosure report released yesterday reveals. US District Judge Martin Feldman's disclosure report, which covers investments for 2009, shows he owned eight energy-related investments including stock in Exxon Mobil Corp.

However, in an attachment to the report, the judge said he sold his Exxon Mobil stock this June when he was hearing the oil spill case. In last year's disclosure report, Feldman owned up to 16 energy-related investments. Among the assets sold was stock in Transocean, the Switzerland-based company that owned the drilling rig operated by BP that is now spewing oil into the Gulf. (More Judge Martin Feldman stories.)