Enron: The Democratic Battle Cry?

Fortune.com ^ | 12/27/2001 | Jeffrey H. Birnbaum

[Kay Soze]

Bill Clinton a friend of Ken Lay - received $100,000 from Enron 4 years ago Source: Time

Published: Sept 1,1997 Author: MICHAEL WEISSKOPF

September 01, 1997 THE WHITE HOUSE THAT INVISIBLE MACK SURE CAN LEAVE HIS MARK BY MICHAEL WEISSKOPF/WASHINGTON Time Magazine In Part:

For a man who had supposedly vanished from the corridors of power, MACK MCLARTY was the man to see in 1996. BILL CLINTON's former chief of staff, now a White House counselor tucked away in the basement, provided assistance to businessmen who ponied up $1.5 million for the Democrats in the last election. On Nov. 22, 1995, for example, Clinton scrawled an FYI note to McLarty, enclosing a newspaper article on Enron Corp. and the vicissitudes of its $3 billion power-plant project in India. McLarty then reached out to Enron's chairman, KEN LAY, and over the next nine months closely monitored the project with the U.S. ambassador to New Delhi, keeping Lay informed of the Administration's efforts, according to White House documents reviewed by TIME. In June 1996, four days before India granted final approval to Enron's project, Lay's company gave $100,000 to the President's party. Enron denies that its gift was repayment for Clinton's attention, and White House special counsel LANNY DAVIS says McLarty acted out of concern for a major U.S. investment overseas.

Nevertheless, there does seem to be a McLarty pattern. At Clinton's request, he met with international oil consultant ROGER TAMRAZ and asked the Energy Department if the Administration could not be more supportive of his Caspian Sea pipeline proposal (Tamraz' contribution: $200,000). And last week the Washington Post reported that Davis says McLarty acted "appropriately" in every case.

I purchased this from the archives of Time magazine and have removed all references to the other funding Mack obtained from non Oil industries. The terms listed in the times archive purchase agreement have been met. I am only displaying a portion of the article and for non commercial purposes.

Pls note that Clinton knew Mr Lay for four years prior to Enron’s implosion. Why did not the democrats secure the pensions of the employees? Hmmmm?

[NYCVirago]

Well, it's about time. The Democrats that I know have no more recent cause celebres than "Newt," "Iran-Contra," or (and I am serious) "James Watt."

Good points. And the Dems whine about how we should "move on" regarding Clinton, but they're the party who ran against Herbert Hoover for a good fifty years!

[cincinnati65]

Bush Whitewater?

Let's see. Which Savings and Loan (under the control of friends of W.) did Bush borrow money from to invest in Enron, and exactly how much government money went to bail out depositors of that Savings and Loan when Bush failed to pay the loan on the otherwise mismanaged investment?

Has there even been a hint of a political contribution to Bush for political favors in this whole Enron mess?

Bush Whitewater, indeed. MAJOR BARF.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Enron was the favorite whipping boy for Governor Davis during the power crisis here in California.

I would bet that Enron gave him lots of money .

[sibb1213]

You are right unless it is a Republican involved. Remember, they have the media to help them where clinton had the media to ignore his scandels. This could hurt simply because the average American does not understand but that is all they will hear from the 6PM newscast. Actually it has already started, before Christmas one of my liberal friends (I use the term loosely) made the comment she bets this is why Dick Army is stepping down and that Chaney will have some explaining to do. All they have to do is say Republicans=Enron. Makes me sick.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I know that Enron was financially irresponsible, but who didn't expect them to profit in 2001 and into the future? We buy stock based on potential for growth. Most Americans want more energy independence. It was one of the reasons we elected George W. Bush after the CA. energy mess and the Clinton/Gore years of closing off our largest clean coal reserves, selling off our California naval reserves to the petroleum co. ...mucho stocks owned by Gore, Clinton's last-minute EO making ANWR off limits to our new President....the EPA's tougher regulations resulting in the closing of refineries, energy companies.

Most Americans know how important our remaining energy companies are. Enron should have been a sure thing. The people wanted to drill at ANWR. The House passed the energy bill allowing for further exploration. The President campaigned, rallied, sent his requests to the House and Senate...Daschle's own Dem. majority energy committee wanted the energy bill to come to the floor. The Senate had the votes to pass it. What more does it take than the attack on 9-11 to illustrate the danger of our dependence on anti-American nations for our energy needs?

Enron should have been a sure thing.

Daschle, in spite of the President, the House, the Senate, the Will of the People, the citizens of Alaska, the Unions, Seniors, Hispanics...chose the even more powerful enviral lobby and pulled the bill off the floor completely. Anderson pulls out of Enron. Enron calls for bankruptcy.

Daschle, Gephardt and Gray Davis pay a Dec. 3rd weekend visit to Fox in Mexico. Fox starts the new year by stating that he's joining OPEC in cutting oil production. Partisan politics at its most dangerous.

We still need every American energy company to handle our needs. Could it be that Daschle, Gephardt and Davis are hoping that the private sector fails and that their personal (and party) power will be assured if the government is forced to step in and "rescue" the energy industry?

Enron was irresponsible, but Daschle most definitely pulled the plug on Enron, ANWR and our national security. The press RATs have been guarding the pol RATs, but Americans are not buying the lies. We are at war.

[sandydipper]

What the real pisser here is that Enron's Lay and Gray (not related?) were both selling their Enron stock big time knowing that Chapter 11 was around the corner. Both made millions. They need to go to jail.

[maestro]

'Enron' made an 'End-run'.

:-(

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe says that he plans to highlight Enron in rallies designed to portray Bush and the GOP as fiscally irresponsible and overly favorable to corporations. "The collapse of Enron is an apt metaphor for how Republicans have cooked the federal books and don't take care of workers," McAuliffe says.

Have garlic, silver bullets and a Constitution handy? (^:

[ChaseR]

"...care of workers," McAuliffe says."

There's that criminal name again...McAuliffe; yep - if only the sheeple could find out about all of bastard McAuliffe's felonies!
(thanks for this important ping Cowgirl/bttt)

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

You're most welcome, Chase. It's nuts that the Dems. have our tax dollars going to their NPR/PBS/NEA propaganda...our cable bills are padded to cover mostly leftist C-Spans 1,2,3...and the "non-profit" money maker AP brings on board David Westin to help direct over 300,000 journalists in news bureaus around the world, not to mention Hollywood. How'd that happen? Let's take Walter Williams suggestion...all move to Texas and secede from the nation. Until then, thank God for FR, Freepers and the second amendment. (^:

[Mudboy Slim]

ROFLMAO!!! If this is the best "scandal" the Left can try to hang on Dubyuh and the GOP, y'all gotta come to the realization that the FBI Files are an absolutely BOGUS Issue, meant only to intimidate the brittley-spined GOPers who'd rather sit on their Arrogant Rumps than Fight the EVIL that is Lib'ralism and the DemonRATS!! Enron is a similarly BOGUS Issue and will have NO LEGS with anybody with Half a Clue...of course, that excludes the Left's reliably-IGNORANT 30% of folks who'd vote fer Adolf Hitler if he had a "D" next to his name, but nobody else is gonna fall fer it AGAIN!!

BTW, Jeff...any chance of you and some folks road-tripping up from Georgia and elsewhere to join a Major Double-Secret FReep of DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe?! I know where he lives and am sure he'd just love a visit from FReepers accross the Nation...especially if we let FoxNewsChannel in on the ScoopOfTheMonth!!

Heh heh heh...time to go into Attack Mode and stay there until next November!! The Vast, RightWing Conspiracy shall be heard from in '02...mark my words.

"Dan's Bake Sale" FReegards...MUD

[LuvItOrLeaveIt]

I've been warning about this very thing for weeks now. These RATS are going to do anything they can to pin this on the GOP. I've been saying we needed to start countering this, but nope, nobody listened to me back then.

Just today at work I heard two liberals talking about "Bush Enronomics". It made me sick to my stomach. They're already starting their sloganeering about it.

We may be too late to stop this garbage from steamrolling into a created scandal. Admit it, the liberal media is going to milk this thing for as much anti-Bush venom as possible. They've been looking for anything to pin on Dubya since he was elected! You know they will be complicit in the DemocRAT lies and spread them as truth to the sheeple.

I think I'm going to be sick to my stomach again...

[fightu4it]

What has Enron done that any number of dot-com companies hasen't in 2000-2001?

Where was the Securties and Exchange Commission when the top brass at these companies bailed with millions and the little people like me were left with a worthless stock that had been selling at 70 to 140 a share just a short time earlier?

No, I'm afraid they are going to concentrate on Enron and the losses there and forget about the much larger hosing we all took earlier.

[ChaseR]

Big bump for your #20.

[ChaseR]

Big bump for your #21.

[fightu4it]

"No one can make records disappear like Willie and his team of sewer dwellers."

www.motherjones.com has a searchable database of contributors to political campaigns. The Mother Jones 400.

[Snow Bunny]

BIG BUMP !!!!

I understand why the LEFT does not want investigating but when so many on the RIGHT put on the clothing of APATHY....it really bothers me.

Thanks ChaseR. AND Good one Ragtime Cowgirl.

[CommiesOut]

Enron case shows 'very clear suggestions of deception' - US Senator Lieberman

[Snow Bunny]

Sign me up for the attack mode.....YEP !!!!!