Markey Statement on Reports of BP's Tony Hayward's Departure as CEO

July 25, 2010 - Following reports of BP CEO Tony Hayward's ouster as head of the company, Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) issued the following statement:

"While it's now happy sailing for Tony Hayward, rough conditions will persist in the Gulf of Mexico for years to come because of his failed leadership.

"The new leaders of BP will have an uphill climb to correct the legacy left by Hayward, indelibly inked by the disaster in the Gulf.

"On Friday, I received yet another reminder of Hayward's aloof, uninformed leadership, when his own company corrected his Congressional testimony -- saying that, contrary to Hayward's assertion to Congress, the drilling mud used by the company during the failed top kill procedure contained toxic material.

"The only way BP can be considered anew is if its leadership team does everything it can to renew the Gulf and bring about a new era of safe oil exploration, governed by transparency and accountability."