Two years after BP’s horrific oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, there are still signs of environmental and economic havoc. Recent investigations from al Jazeera and the Associated Press have found shrimp without eyes, crabs without claws, and many species of fish that carry strange deformaties and other signs of mutations. ThinkProgress notes that a new study published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences determined that over seven years, the oil spill could have a $8.7 billion impact on the economy of the Gulf of Mexico including losses in revenue, profit, wages, and close to 22,000 jobs.

BP has escaped serious accountability by flexing its political power. Under intense lobbying pressure, Congress failed to enact legislation that would even expand BP’s civil liability.

For the two year anniversary of BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Republic Report has compiled some of the best stories on BP’s efforts to influence government and avoid taking responsibility for its actions in the Gulf:

— Huffington Post: BP’s Influence Peddling In Congress Bears Fruit Two Years After Gulf Spill.

— ThinkProgress: BP funds front group claiming oil spills are better than “normal” ones, storm will clean up oil.

— ABC News: BP turns to political shop for $50 million ad buy to convince you the company ‘Will get this done’ and ‘Make it right.’

— New Orleans Times-Picayune: BP Claims Processing CEO To Raise Funds For Gov. Jindal.

— Mother Jones: 5 Ways the [U.S. Chamber of Commerce] Shills for BP.

— ProPublica: Take It With A Grain Of (Sea) Salt: Gulf Microbe Study Was Funded By BP.

— OpenSecrets: BP Enjoys Lobbying Strength, Close Ties To Lawmakers As Federal Investigation Looms.

— Politico: BP Donates Big to GOP leadership.

— ThinkProgress: BP worked with FreedomWorks and the Chamber to build “grassroots” support for more drilling.

— Los Angeles Times: Gulf disaster a boon to Washington lobbying.

— Washington Post: BP, Transocean tap a well of Washington lobbyists and consultants.

— Huffington Post: BP’s Lobbying Clout: 27 former Hill, White House staffers working for oil giant.

— ThinkProgress: BP is top funder of ALEC annual meeting in oil-soaked Louisiana.

NPR is reporting that the first ever criminal charges were filed today against a BP employee. BP engineer Kurt Mix has been charged “with obstruction of justice for allegedly deleting text messages” related to the spill after it occurred.