[T.j. Holmes, Cnn Anchor:] All right.
[Holmes:] OK. He stayed out in the cold for us. The least we could do is let him say that. Michael Holmes, good to see, buddy. We will see you back here in Atlanta. I know you're on your way back. Thanks so much, buddy. All right. Well, while that's going on there, this continues to happen here. Oil continues, folks, every single moment of every single day to gush into the Gulf of Mexico. We are on day 60 of this oil disaster, and BP is trying to finesse its message. Making the list: First, it was this gaffe.
[Tony Hayward, Ceo, Bp Group:] But I would like my life back.
[Holmes:] Then came the grilling on Capitol Hill.
[Rep. Henry Waxman , California:] They're going to have a hard time reaching conclusions if you stonewall them, which is what we seem to be getting today.
[Hayward:] I'm not stonewalling.
[Holmes:] With appearances like that one, it's no wonder BP's image has taken a hit. So, could this be the new face of the company?
[Darryl Willis, Vice President Of Resources, Bp America:] We will carry out our obligations to mitigate the environmental damage and economic impact of this incident.
[Holmes:] He's an American. He's from Louisiana. Good call, BP? A CNN special investigation: What is the connection between some Gulf Coast judges and the oil cases they're about to hear? And awaiting the ruling on a female version of Viagra.
[Unidentified Female:] The company has a lot to gain, but women have more to gain. The lists you need to know about. Who's most intriguing? Who's making news on Twitter? It's why we keep a list, pioneering tomorrow's news right now.
[Holmes:] We're at top of the hour here on RICK'S LIST. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes sitting in for him today. Day 60 of this Gulf oil disaster, BP now increasing the amount of oil it is siphoning from the Gulf. That's great news. But there is a nasty side effect. The cleanup workers, as they continue to burn off this oil, you see these black clouds of smoke soar, carrying with it soot, volatile gases, and other toxic byproducts. Who knows what's in there? This brings questions about health risks now to emergency workers and wildlife. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 1,200 workers helping with the overall cleanup effort. Federal officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or agency have issued a memorandum insisting on proper safety equipment for all cleanup workers. When reached by CNN, spokespeople for two companies helping with the effort, Global Industries and Boots & Coots, would not say if workers were taking special precautions to protect against the smoke. You might have heard reports as well today on the BP front that the CEO, Tony Hayward, he is about to quote "get his life back"? Not exactly. One day after he was hammered by Congress, an interview on Britain's Sky News left kind of the impression to some that Hayward was now being pulled off of Gulf disaster response. The interview with BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg you're seeing him there this was the other day in front of the White House after his meeting with the president well, he sounded to some in this interview with Sky News as if Hayward was being replaced right now by Bob Dudley. Dudley is BP's managing director. Dudley is here in this video touring the Gulf Coast, the Louisiana coast in particular, with Governor Bobby Jindal. We called BP to try to clear this up, and they tell us that nothing in fact has changed, Tony Hayward still in charge of the initial response. Dudley, again in the video, will take over BP's long-term response to clean up when the initial phase is over. BP, meanwhile, putting a new face on its P.R. campaign. It's BP America vice president Darryl Willis. You might have seen him testifying before Congress earlier this week. Now take a look at him in BP's newest commercial. [Begin Video Clip, Bp Ad]
[Willis:] They're fishermen. They're shrimpers. They're laborers. They're deck hands. They're people who work in restaurants. These are the people of the Gulf Coast who need our help. I'm Darryl Willis. I oversee BP's claims process on the Gulf Coast. BP's got to make things right. And that's why we're here. I was born and raised in Louisiana. I volunteered for this assignment because this is my home. I will be here in the Gulf as long as it takes to make this right.
[Holmes:] Well, BP's timeline for stopping the leak with relief wells remains still some time in the middle of August. And, again, we are on hour two now, time for us to pick up the pace a bit of today's LIST for those of you checking in. There have been over 200 lawsuits filed over the oil disaster in the Gulf that started 60 days ago. Sometimes, when a case becomes as massive as this one, a big company will ask for a single federal judge to oversee the lawsuits. And that is exactly what BP has done. They call this judge- shopping. But, in the case of BP, there is an added dimension. Here now, CNN's Abbie Boudreau with a report from our Special Investigations Unit.
[Abbie Boudreau, Cnn Special Investigations Unit:] This man, Lynn Hughes, is the federal judge in Houston, Texas, that BP would like to supervise all of the lawsuits filed against it. [on camera]: Essentially, Judge Hughes could make decisions worth billions of dollars to BP. And that's cast a spotlight on his own financial ties to the oil and gas industry. [voice-over]: Judge Hughes owns land that produces oil, land that he leases to oil companies. He gets annual royalties from whatever they pump out. In 2008, the most recent records available, he received royalty payments from ConocoPhillips between $50,000 and $100,000, royalty payments from Sun Oil of $15,000 or less, and royalties from an oil company called Devon Energy of less than $15,000. Records dating back to 2003 show Judge Hughes received hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties from more than a dozen energy companies. Judge Hughes has said he is transparent, that all of his personal investment and finance information is online for anyone to see.
[Charles Geyh, Indiana University School Of Law:] When you take it together, is there a concern that a reasonable person fully informed of all of that might say, look it, he's not just a judge who happens to be dabbling; he is in effect a participant in the industry he is trying to judge?
[Boudreau:] Judge Hughes also travels to speak at meetings held by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Now, he doesn't get a fee for speaking at those meetings, but it does pay his accommodations, his travel, and expenses. In 2009 Judge Hughes presided over a case involving Devon Energy, one of the companies that pays him royalties. But he didn't disclose that information at the hearing. The company ended up winning and was awarded $3.9 million.
[Geyh:] The best practice that's out there and I think what judges across the country are encouraged to do is, when there is any doubt, that put some sunshine on the problem, turn your cards face up, to mix metaphors, and basically make it clear to the parties what your potential interests are.
[Boudreau:] Which brings us back to BP and why it would like Judge Hughes to oversee the oil spill lawsuits. BP told us quote "BP believes that Judge Lynn Hughes, to whom the first filed federal case in Houston was assigned, is an appropriate choice to provide oversight of these cases."
[Geyh:] This isn't a rank-and-file case. This is a case involving a couple hundred cases involving the biggest oil disaster in the history of the country, where we ought to be especially concerned about public confidence in the judiciary.
[Boudreau:] CNN examined Judge Hughes' rulings on oil and gas cases going back three years. In fact, he ruled in favor of oil companies just a little more often than he ruled against them. Lawyers who know Judge Hughes tell CNN he is fair and tough. But environmental attorneys say even the request by BP to have this judge sit on the bench is quote "outrageous and unseemly." Abbie Boudreau, CNN, Atlanta.
[Holmes:] Meanwhile, we told you earlier about some of the confusion that had to do with whether or not Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, was out or not. Well, he's not. He is still in place right now on this initial response. But word is getting out, and plenty of people are commenting out there online, including our own Donna Brazile. Check out this one that she sent, she put out not too long ago quote "BP must put someone on deck who respects safety protocols. Tony, you will get your life back. We won't rest until the gusher ends and Gulf cleaned" again, from our Donna Brazile.
[Elizabeth Cohen, Cnn Medical Correspondent:] Tell me, how many drugs do you have for men with sex problems?
[Unidentified Male:] Currently, three prescription medications, Viagra, Levitra and Cialis.
[Cohen:] And how many drugs do you have for women with sexual problems?
[Unidentified Male:] Currently, no prescription medications.
[Holmes:] That's a heck of a question there from our medical correspondent. But wait. He might not be right. An FDA panel just wrapped up a daylong hearing to consider a drug that would work like a female Viagra pill. Did the drugmakers get approval? That's ahead. Also, a tornado sweeping through Minnesota, check that out. What was left after the funnels passed? And there were several. That's next on our roundup list.