Maryland lawmaker ‘surprised’ by FBI investigation into Baltimore bridge collapse

“The judge had to find that the agency had probable cause to commit criminal acts,” said U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., told the Grio that he’s “surprised” that the FBI has opened an investigation into the ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month, killing six people.

“I certainly expected that personal injury lawyers would be retained and engaged in this case by individual families who have lost family members,” Ivey said. “The judge had to find that the agency had probable cause to commit criminal acts, but that does not mean it would result in criminal charges.”

First, the Washington Post. reported FBI investigation, during which agency authorities boarded the Dali cargo ship on Monday to find out what circumstances led to the fatal incident and whether Dali’s operators complied with federal law.

The investigation was initiated on account of the City of Baltimore’s intention to carry Dali’s owner and staff legally responsible for financial losses incurred in consequence of the accident.

On Monday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced that town would partner with two law firms to “mitigate” the damage to city residents.

In an announcement obtained by Grio, Scott said: “…with the shipowner filing a motion to limit his liability just days after the incident, we must act just as quickly to protect the city’s interests.”

Adam Levitt, co-founder of DiCello Levitt and one in all the attorneys working with town, in an announcement obtained by theGrio, she said it was “one of the worst inner-city maritime disasters in U.S. history.”

Levitt added that his law firm will “bring significant economic and environmental damages claims on behalf of the city of Baltimore” against Dali’s owner and employees.

Both the FBI investigation and town’s lawsuit against Dali’s agents began nearly three weeks after Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 1:30 a.m. on March 26, killing six construction employees. The cargo ship was en path to Sri Lanka when it lost power and struck one in all the bridge’s support beams, causing the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River.

After the tragedy, President Joe Biden announced that the Biden-Harris administration would offer $60 million to finance the reconstruction of the bridge. However, some House Republicans refused to support a bill providing additional funding.

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, R-Ga. senior member of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, told the Grio that Congress must “provide emergency aid to Baltimore.”

“We are too busy with politics (however), the people of Baltimore deserve our help,” Johnson said.

In a previous interview with theGrio, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said funding the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is “not political” but moderately a “patriotic responsibility.”

Maryland lawmakers on Thursday introduced the Baltimore BRIDGE Relief Act to liberate funds to rebuild the collapsed bridge.

Ivey told the Grio that despite some Republicans’ opposition to passing laws to finance the bridge’s reconstruction, he hopes the bill will gain bipartisan support.

Meanwhile, the congressman praised the Biden-Harris administration for “keeping its promises to provide resources” to rebuild the bridge.

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