-Caveat Lector- --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
matthew d spotted this on the Guardian Unlimited site and thought you should see it. To see this story with its related links on the Guardian Unlimited site, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk New Enron scandal link to Bush Two given energy jobs after firm's former head suggested them to White House Duncan Campbell in New Orleans Friday February 01 2002 The Guardian The former head of Enron, Kenneth Lay, gave the White House a list of his personal recommendations for key federal energy posts and two of the people on his list were appointed, it emerged yesterday, providing the strongest evidence so far of the political influence wielded by President Bush's biggest financial backer. The revelation is likely to increase pressure on the Bush administration to open the books on its contacts with Mr Lay and his associates. The Enron scandal is now threatening to reach to the heart of the White House. Mr Lay put forward his list of suggested members of the federal energy regulatory commission last spring. Two of the people he suggested, Pat Wood, a Texas Republican who now chairs the commission, and Nora Brownell, were appointed by the president. Mr Lay himself disclosed details of the list in an interview recorded last May but only broadcast yesterday. "I brought a list, we certainly presented a list," Mr Lay told the PBS channel. "As I recall, I signed a letter which, in fact, had some recommendations as to people we thought would be good commissioners." The list of around eight names was given to Mr Bush's director of personnel, Clay Johnson. The White House moved swiftly to distance itself from the claim, which ties the administration more closely with the former Enron chief. "It was one of many, many recommendations," said a White House spokeswoman, Anne Womack. She added that other members of the energy industry, members of Congress and government officials had all submitted suggestions. Mr Lay will give evidence next week to congressional panels investigating the affair. In May, the ex-chairman of the commission, Curtis Hebert, said he had received a call from Mr Lay offering Enron's backing to help him keep his job if he adapted his views on deregulation. Mr Hebert said he had turned down the offer. Mr Lay confirmed the call had taken place, but said it was Mr Hebert who had asked for Enron's backing to keep his job. Mr Hebert also said that a few weeks after his appointment Mr Lay had told him on the telephone that "he and Enron would like to support me as chairman, but we would have to agree on principles". While Vice-President Dick Cheney has said that he met Enron officials to discuss energy policy, he is declining to give details of conversations during six meetings to the general accounting office, which has indicated it will go to court to force the White House to identify which energy industry figures met Mr Cheney. The congressional panels conducting the inquiries have run into problems in extracting information from Enron itself in the wake of the bankruptcy, which has put thousands out of work and wiped out retirement funds. The chairman of the Senate commerce subcommittee, Byron Dorgan, said the corporation had not cooperated with requests for documents. "We again renew our request," he said. Many key documents have already been shredded. Enron was the largest contributor to Mr Bush's election campaign, donating £1.2m. Mr Lay, a close friend of the president, has been a contributor to both parties but is tied mainly to Republicans and the Bushes. Claims from Mr Lay's wife, Linda, that they were facing ruin because all their stock had been in Enron were greeted with scepticism: the family is down to its last £21m. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited --- End forwarded message --- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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