from a faithful reader, the San Antonio Express News

BP's Texas City refinery — in a possible revolving-door violation of state law — hired a state engineer in 2003 who had spent the previous two years processing its application for a new air quality permit.
Air quality engineer Ruben Herrera's new job at BP? To advocate for the company before his former state co-workers to obtain the new permit on terms most favorable to BP

If lawyers can show BP violated state criminal law, the state cap on punitive damages in a lawsuit can be removed, said Brent Coon, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers. The cap is twice the dollar amount of actual damages plus up to $750,000. 

The plaintiffs' attorneys are arguing that BP obtained its operating permit through fraud by misleading the TCEQ about the plant's safety features and by hiring state regulator Herrera to promote the company's application, and they have implied in depositions that a signing bonus he received might have constituted bribery by the company.

Go read this. I'd be very surprised if the judge believes the crap BP is shoveling.