Bush Served on Harken Board During Enron Trades

Yahoo ^ | 10/22/02

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While President Bush (news - web sites) served on Harken Energy Corp.'s board more than 10 years ago, it engaged in complex trades with Enron Corp., a watchdog group said on Tuesday.

Enron's relationship with Bush has become a political issue since its collapse in December amid a widening financial scandal. The company was one of Bush's biggest campaign contributors.

Administration officials say Bush did nothing improper.

The documents, released by the Center for Public Integrity, showed that one of Harken's partners in commodities trading was Enron. A June 1990 memo from Harken Marketing, a Harken subsidiary, listed a $363,000 letter of credit with the now bankrupt energy trader.

White House officials had no comment on the transaction. Harken officials were not immediately available to comment.

The nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity said other documents showed that Bush was paid $80,000 in 1987-88 to consult for Harken even though he was working full time for his father's presidential campaign.

Bush flew to Texas and to New York to attend Harken board meetings. These trips were paid for by his father's campaign, and reimbursed by Harken, the Center said, citing Bush campaign receipts and Harken documents.

White House officials said there was nothing improper about Bush simultaneously working for Harken and his father's campaign.

Bush served on Harken's board from 1986 until 1993.

Former Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay was a longtime Bush ally and a generous donor to his political campaigns. He was part of an elite group known as the "Bush Pioneers" who gathered at least $100,000 in donations for Bush's 2000 run for the presidency.

High-level members of the Bush administration said Lay called asking for help while he fought to keep Enron out of bankruptcy, but they said they did nothing and that the president knew nothing about it.

[ladyinred]

Gee, I wonder why I saw this posted on DU this morning? More smear tactics by the left, right before an election.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

He's collected more soft money bribes than any president in history. What do you think he's doing for that money

Here is the inside scoop. Most big shots give the big bucks out to keep liberals from destroying them. As an example, Bill Gates was a stingy contributer. Even though he was liberal, he gave so little that Bubba told Reno to squeeze him a little. It became an all-out war in the end.

Some big shots give it all to the the liberals and even pay them lip service just to leave them alone. Some look for favors. Some give to the opposing party, the GOP, to defend them. And some give to both sides equally. Have you ever noticed that? Giving to both sides equally?

Bush's contributions were largely a result of people getting completely fed up with the Terrorist Pardoner in Chief.

[deport]

It's a good thing Bush isn't a democrat.

What you mean? Hell a lot of those on this forum claim he is a democrat.... They claim he one and the same, you can't tell the difference......

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

They would be "crying wag the dog" about Iraq and be very against the war effort.

If Bush doesn't consult with his joint chiefs and blows up an aspirin factory, you might have a point there.

They would be "investigating" him about the financial scandals and when they found nothing they would investigate his freids , his gradschool teachers and his dog until they could came up with somthing that they could hang onto ...

Did the GOP do that to Carter? No. Did the GOP do that to JFK? No. Did the GOP do that to Johnson? No. Did the Rats do that to Nixon? Yes. Did the Rats do that to Reagan? Yes.

You got your parties switched around in your mind. Funny how a certain mind set gets things backwards. Mental dyslexia.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

If Bush did all of those things people on this board would refuse to believe it ; no a matter what the evidence.

I guess you didn't see the Iran-Contra threads here. Before your time, I suppose.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Stalin shot his officers when Hitler invaded. A very paranoid man. He thought the claims of an invasion were a conspiracy, if I'm not mistaken. I suppose that this is what we should expect. LOL. Good night.

[M Kehoe]

Having signed 10 K's (Q's), 8 K's, 146's etc. I'm trying to find some 'there' there.

I guess 20 years of accounting experience just doesn't allow me too 'connect the dots'.

Oh, well, what do I know?

5.56mm

[M Kehoe]

too=to

T'was the keyboard I tell ya.

5.56mm

[section9]

He's collected more soft money bribes than any president in history. What do you think he's doing for that money ?

Oh, I see. When a conservative accepts soft money, it's a bribe. When a liberal accepts soft money, it's constituent service.

Hypocrisy is a dish best served cold, you know.

Now then, one man's bribe is another man's campaign contribution.

Where you stand, of course, depends upon where you sit. Be advised, however, that most of Bush's money was hard money. Democrats just don't have the hard money network that we do, so they go straight to the sewer money in trade for favors to be paid back at a later date.

Now please go back and try again. I know things have been getting boring over at DemocraticUnderground....

...what, with the ban on dissent that's going on over there and all, but you don't have to come over here and take it out on us. However, if you butch up your action, you might just be able to run with us big dogs.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[KC Burke]

This from the media that failed to report, and then follow up with questions, that Clinton served as Arkansas Attorney General while aledgedly committing rape.

[M Kehoe]

It must be rough to be you.

Hang in there. You only have six more years of Bush to trash.

5.56mm

[Kath]

Ok, so Harken (an engergy company) traded with Enron (another energy company) SO WHAT!!!! Isn't it safe to assume engergy companies trade with another?? I fail to see the scandal here. Oh wait, I fogot, there doesn't have to be one. Democrats make them up.

[TC Rider]

He's collected more soft money bribes than any president in history.

Oh, you mean like when Clinton took soft money from Enron and then set up deals for him in India?

[Windshark]

I didn't think anyone was actually this stupid....

Live and learn....

[UnBlinkingEye]

High-level members of the Bush administration said Lay called asking for help while he fought to keep Enron out of bankruptcy, but they said they did nothing and that the president knew nothing about it.

Sounds like Schultz from Hogan's Heroes. They knew nothing, nothing. BTW thanks for the millions in contributions from you and your friends, Kenny Boy.

Why the secrecy regarding administration meetings with oil interests? Reminds me of Hillary and health care.

[stalin]

Almost all give to both sides although most give to one side more than the other. Bribers tend to hedge their bets but they certainly expect somthing for their money.

[Rodney King]

Put up or shut up. What has Bush done that was improper in exchange for money? Surely you know and aren't just mouthing off, right?

[No Left Turn]

Yes. Up until about a year ago, you couldn't be in most energy markets and not trade with Enron. In many cases it was the market.

[stalin]

It's true that there is very very little difference particularely when it comes to foriegn policy. If it's a democrat the republicans opose his policy if it's a republican the democrats opose his policy but the policy itself is vitually identicle.

If Bush was in office durring Kosovo , Bosnia and trying to kill Bin Laden after the embasy bombings republicans would have suported military action unflinchingly. Because it was Clinton they oposed it. If Clinton were in the white house right now you'ld see many of the Republicans on this site and in Congress that suport military action now whinning "wag the dog" , like when Clinton tried to kill Bin Laden , and far fewer Democrats would be oposing it.