The Administration ignored Judge Feldman's injunction against the drilling moratorium and continued to deny drilling permits. Judge Feldman found the Admin to be in civil contempt and order them to pay the plaintiff's fees. The Admin appealed the contempt ruling and the 5th Circuit reversed Judge Feldman's contempt order. The Obama Admin ignored the injunction until the moratorium expired.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-02-03/u-s-administration-in-contempt-over-gulf-drill-ban-judge-rules
Not if it is a court order.
Refusal is always an option. There may be criminal or financial penalties for doing so, but refusal is an option.
Even the Dems won't support a President who disobeys a court order.
You're joking, right? The Dems have repeatedly encouraged Obama to ignore the courts and use his Executive Power to circumvent rulings.
Despite the ruling of the three-judge panel, a de facto moratorium arguably remained in place because the government had told oil companies that they must seek revised permits and the approval of a government agency to continue deepwater drilling. One of the requirements was that a CEO of a company seeking to drill must personally sign a statement certifying that all safety equipment works properly and all well designs are safe, and acknowledge personal criminal liability for any false statements.
Lesson: Injunctions, whether preliminary or final, against an agency of the United States are very specific, narrowly drawn, and narrowly construed. In this instance, the injunction barred only limited actions, and DOI acted to reinforce its position outside the strictures of the injunction.
No aspect of Deepwater Horizon or the administrative process that followed can be considered an exemplary lesson – whether oil drilling or administrative law and litigation. Hornbeck exemplifies the need for great care in constructing injunctions against the United States and its agencies.
Refusal is always an option. There may be criminal or financial penalties for doing so, but refusal is an option.
Not if you want to remain in office.
You're joking, right? The Dems have repeatedly encouraged Obama to ignore the courts and use his Executive Power to circumvent rulings.
I am not joking. They won't support him if he openly refuses to obey a court ruling. When SCOTUS ruled that the states can decide on whether to expand Medicaid or not under Obamacare without penalty, Obama and the Dems had to comply.