MEBRO
FACT CHECK #TK4ACZ5U
06/18/26 · 11:40 PM UTC · 10 SOURCES
“Barack Obama was the first President to be held in contempt of court for illegally obstructing oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.”
LEANS FALSE · HIGH CONFIDENCE
TL;DR ·The Department of the Interior was held in contempt, not President Obama personally.
WHAT WE FOUND
In February 2011, U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman did find the Department of the Interior in civil contempt for its de facto moratorium on deepwater drilling permits following the BP oil spill . However, Barack Obama was not personally held in contempt of court . High-credibility sources clarify that while the Interior Department was 'taken to task,' the President was not the subject of the order . Furthermore, a federal appeals court later ruled that the administration did not violate the judge's order, effectively overturning the basis for the contempt finding . Additionally, the claim that Obama was the first President to be held in contempt is historically inaccurate, as Bill Clinton was held in civil contempt in 1999 .
SOURCES
- 1 · answers.comACADEMICWas Barack Obama held in contempt of court for illegally obstructing oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico? - Answers
TIER A
- 2 · theguardian.comNEWSLouisiana court overturns Barack Obama's ban on oil drilling in Gulf | Deepwater Horizon oil spill | The Guardian
TIER A
- 3 · en.wikipedia.orgWEB2010 United States deepwater drilling moratorium - Wikipedia
TIER B
- 4 · washingtonexaminer.comWEBDay 9: Obama repeatedly defied federal court with Gulf oil policies - Washington Examiner
TIER B
- 5 · dailysignal.comWEBMr. President, You're in Contempt
TIER B
- 6 · freerepublic.comWEBHe has done more than any other President before him. Here is a list of his impressive accomplishments (lists 37 examples of Obama's lawlessness.)
TIER B
- 7 · politico.comWEBJudge holds Interior in contempt - POLITICO
TIER B
- 8 · fedsoc.orgWEBObama Administration Policy on Offshore Oil and Gas Production: Consensus or Contempt?
TIER B
- 9 · lmoga.comWEBObama administration didn't violate order striking down temporary…
TIER B
- 10 · thisdayofhistory.comWEBApril 20, 2010: Barack Obama's First Scandal - This Day of History
TIER B
CHECK #______
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