Attorneys Deny Improper Actions In BP Spill Claims

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lawyers for two attorneys involved in the claims process arising from the 2010 BP oil spill say there is no evidence supporting a former FBI director's contention that they acted improperly.

Separate responses on behalf of attorneys Jon Andry and Glen Lerner to the allegations by former FBI head Louis Freeh were filed Friday in federal court.

Freeh was appointed by the court to investigate alleged misconduct in the oil spill settlement program. In a recent report, he said attorney Lionel "Tiger" Sutton III, received $40,000 in fees for referring a claimant to Andry and Lerner before joining the staff of claims administrator Patrick Juneau.

Andry's and Lerner's lawyers say Freeh turned up no evidence that Sutton attempted to influence a claim or that their clients did anything wrong.