Anne Womack Kolton, who as former VP Dick Cheney's press aide defended the secrecy of his energy task force, has been brought in to fix BP's PR problems in the Gulf oil spill. As a Cheney aide, she defended not only the secrecy but also the policy that critics say hamstrung safety and environmental regulations in a blind rush to drill.

Kolton's abrupt appointment comes just as BP's credibility is taking possibly fatal hits because of its secrecy on Gulf spill matters and safety shortcuts on the Deepwater Horizon.

From 1995 to 2000, Cheney was CEO of Halliburton, one of the companies whose performance on the Deepwater Horizon has been the subject of investigators seeking the cause of the blowout.

• "BP Hires Cheney Spokeswoman To Lead PR Effort," [2] Raw Story, June 1, 2010, by John Byrne.
• "BP Hires Cheney's Press Flack," [3] Mother Jones, June 1, 2010, by Kate Sheppard.
• "Former Dick Cheney Spokesperson Begins Job at BP," [4] CBS News, June 1, 2010, by Brian Montopoli.
• "BP Hires Dick Cheney’s Press Secretary, Anne Womack-Kolton," [5] Think Progress/Wonk Room, June 1, 2010, by Brad Johnson.
• "BP Hires Ex-Energy Dept Official for US Media Effort," [6] Reuters, May 30, 2010, by Tom Bergin.