Alabama AG, governor at odds again over oill spil

By: The Associated Press | Alabama's13.com
Published: September 03, 2010

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The tense relationship between Alabama's governor and attorney general has taken another stinging twist.

Attorney General Troy King has accused Gov. Bob Riley of trying to compromise litigation against BP over the Gulf oil spill. Riley, meanwhile, has hired a law firm to deal with the BP issue and claims the price is much cheaper than King had planned.

King wrote Riley a letter Friday, saying the initial claim of $148 million that the governor filed with BP is "grossly inadequate." He also accused Riley of holding secret meetings with BP officials.

Riley announced he has hired the Balch & Bingham law firm to advise the state on the oil spill, at $195 per hour. King had approached the firm about representing the state on a contingency basis of up to 14 percent of the money recovered, but Riley refused to go along.