Spike Lee: Government lying about Gulf oil cleanup

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. | Filmmaker Spike Lee is calling a "lie" a U.S. government report that 75 percent of the spilled Gulf Coast oil is gone.

Speaking to a meeting of the Television Critics Association on Saturday, Lee said journalists should expose what he called the real story. He argued that it's unlikely that "abracadabra, presto chango" the vast majority of the oil has vanished from Gulf of Mexico waters and coastal wetlands.

Federal scientists said last week that nearly three-quarters of the oil has been removed by various artificial or natural means, but that the spill's effect on wildlife will long continue.

Lee was promoting his new documentary about New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. "If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise," a follow-up to his 2006 film about the hurricane, debuts Aug. 23 and 24 on HBO.

The Associated Press reports “Spike Lee is calling a ‘lie’ a U.S. government report that 75 percent of the spilled Gulf Coast oil is gone.”

According to the AP, “Lee said journalists should expose what he called the real story. He argued that it’s unlikely that ‘abracadabra, presto chango’ the vast majority of the oil has vanished from Gulf of Mexico waters and coastal wetlands.”

A report on deadline.com reveals one hour of Spike Lee’s Katrina movie to be dedicated to BP’s Gulf oil disaster.

Lee said, “It’s really eye-opening the power that BP has. There’s no way it should be dictating what’s going on. But it shows the power of the company.”

Lee added, “I don’t care how many scientists BP buys, that oil is still there. [BP] has been lying from the get-go. You’re telling me we’ve had the biggest oil disaster in the world and it’s all gone now? Where did it go? No damage done to the wetlands? I don’t believe it. As journalists, you need to ask questions and not accept the lies being told.”