Dubya's Enron Connections Deepen

An open letter to Bush from Michael Moore fills in some shocking details.

(2/11/02)  During the 2000 presidential campaign, Dubya flew around the country in Enron's jet, stumping on the tarmac about restoring dignity to the White House while Enron executives were ripping off their own employees, shareholders, and the American taxpayer. While the Enron jet loomed in the background.

Ken Lay interviewed and selected the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a former lawyer for Arthur Anderson, and then worked to make sure that the accounting firm would not be held liable for illegitimate bookkeeping methods.

Dick Cheney and Ken Lay then proceeded to set up secret meetings with energy company executives to formulate a national energy policy.  The policy that came out of those meetings is pro-Big Oil at the expense of environmental and conservation concerns.  For example,  one provision suspends the requirement for the automotive industry to improve gas milage on new vehicles.

The list of Enron henchmen placed in the Bush Conflagration is long and impressive.  Lawrence Lindsey, chief economic advisor, former Enron advisor.  Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill? Former CEO of Alcoa, whose lobbying firm, Vinson and Elkins, was the #3 contributor to the Dubya'scampaign. Who is Vinson and Elkins? The law firm representing Enron. Who is Alcoa? The top polluter in Texas. Timothy White, the Secretary of the Army? A former vice-chair of Enron Energy! Robert Zoellick, your Federal Trade Representative? A former advisor at Enron. Karl Rove, your main man at the White House? He owned a quarter-million dollars of Enron stock.

Then there's the Enron lawyer Dubya nominated to be a federal judge in Texas, the Enron lobbyist who is chair of the Republican Party, the two Enron officials who now work for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and the wife of Texas Senator Phil Gramm who sits on Enron's board. And there's the aforementioned Mr. Pitt, the former Arthur Andersen attorney whose job it is now as SEC head to oversee the stock markets.

This list is just for starters; this is a developing story so stay tuned!