Justice Department, Congress Have Proven Incapable of Investigating Charges of Political Corruption

judicialwatch ^ | 1/11/2002 | judicialwatch

[TLBSHOW]

Justice Department, Congress Have Proven Incapable of Investigating Charges of High-Level Political Corruption

(Washington, DC)

Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today called for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate the Enron collapse and any contacts Enron may have had with members of the Bush and Clinton Administrations. The special counsel is required to investigate contacts between Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay and Vice President Cheney, Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neil, and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans.

“The Bush Justice Department, despite the recusal of John Aschroft, is hopelessly conflicted in investigating White House and Cabinet-level contacts with Enron representatives. A special counsel can begin to assure the American people that a thorough investigation is conducted,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

Judicial Watch has several outstanding Freedom of Information Act requests concerning Enron. Judicial Watch represents a number of Enron shareholders and is contemplating legal action on their behalf.

Interestingly, Enron is also a prominent player in the Clinton-era fundraising scandal in which Commerce Department trade mission seats were sold in exchange for political contributions. Enron’s Kenneth Lay, a Clinton donor, went on one of these scandalous trade missions with the late Ron Brown to India in January, 1995 and received hundreds of millions of dollars of aid from the Clinton Administration for its energy projects in India. Enron even attempted to enter into joint ventures with John Huang’s Lippo Group (a Chinese intelligence front operation, according to government reports) as a result of the Clinton Administration trade trips.

“Enron’s Kenneth Lay was a major donor to the Bush campaign. Lo and behold, it is reported he calls up Don Evans, Commerce Secretary and former Bush fundraiser, to ask that the government intervene with a private ratings service to help Enron. This contact in particular seems improper on its face and deserves an independent investigation,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

[TLBSHOW]

Maybe we should have Janet served. You know something to do with corruption. That she and the Clintons were involved with.

I liked this one any contacts Enron may have had with members of the Clinton Administration.

Could that be a key word? I sure would hope so.

[deport]

ol' larr tries bless his heart but he rambles all over the place from lawsuit to lawsuit or to whatever the hot item of the day is. He does keep the dollars (tax) churning throughout the court system handling his little request. And of course the postal service gets plenty of activity from him along with the telephone companies and tele marketers. So in some ways he helps keep the economy going. About his biggest contribution imo.....

[anniegetyourgun]

Hey now, you are good at seeing a silver lining....

[RJCogburn]

I'm not a JW or LK fan but the statetment:

Justice Department, Congress Have Proven Incapable of Investigating Charges of Political Corruption

is certainly correct, isn't it?

[breakem]

Congressional hearings where:

a) one party or the other stonewalls any real findings and therefore no one is held accountable.

b) the administration claims executive priviledge and the real dirt is never revealed so no one is held accountable.

c) they are delayed so long the public loses interest and no one is held accountable.

and or d)the allegations wind up in a long drawn out court process and (see c).

[anniegetyourgun]

Certainly true of the last DOJ. I'm not convinced that this one can't. In fact, I imagine the dept. is being filled with very capable people.

[OKCSubmariner]

BTTT!

[MissAmericanPie]

I have a little story to tell, I think it could relate. One of my best friends was an oil man here in Texas. I was the matron of honor at his wedding, he was the best man at my wedding. We two couples did everything together, vacationed, went to dinner, shopped, gave an ear to each others troubles and cares, lived on the same street, hung out at each other's homes, spoke on the phone at least 10/12 times a week, best friends.

He was murdered, at his funeral I was sitting behind a young woman that was crying her eyes out, I thought she must be a niece or something. After the funeral his wife called me into a side room, the gal in front of me wasn't his niece but his mistress, his wife found this out two hours before the funeral. As the days passed more and more of what he had been involved in came to the surface and explained why he may have been murdered.

This lesson taught me that you never really know anyone, these people may party together, play golf together, feel as close as can be to each other, be of the same political party, but the secrets of the very rich run very deep. There is an image they wish to portray and they will go to any lengths to maintain it, to remain a member of the club. Time may prove that everyone from Bush to Cheney may be involved, but I will not be suprised or doubt it a second should it be shown that they didn't know a thing about their friend.

[bayourod]

"Judicial Watch represents a number of Enron shareholders and is contemplating legal action on their behalf. "

I doubt that JW will file any lawsuit on behalf of any real client. They seem to have become specialized in only suing on behalf of themselves or someone hiding in South America.

Real clients are a real problem because they expect more results than successful fundraisers. Real clients file complaints with the bar associations.

[MississippiMan]

The America Government is Corruption

Absolutely true. Totally broken and IMHO beyond the point of no return. The inmates run the asylum, folks. We fight so hard and get all worked up when we get a few Republican victories here and there, but the problem is that the corruption is rampant on BOTH sides of the aisle. Our "control" as voters is an illusion because it's almost impossible to make it to the big game without having compromised your integrity to the point that you too will protect the game and all its players. I dare say we'd be very fortunate if we could somehow know that 20% of our Federal elected officials were truly people of honor.

MM

[rwfromkansas]

In this case, I got to say, Screw Klayman.

[freekitty]

Enron did this to themselves. They are crooks, pure and simple. Rush said the tobacco companies were fighting back because the crooks and loan sharks there were not using the money for what they said they were. Big Surprise(sarcasm). This has been happening for years. Seriously, this is how business is being conducted. By crooks and loan sharks. This is what will bring us down. We all laughed when the California lotteries said they were going to use 1/3 for education. Nada, nothing. What do you expect out of a loan shark and con artist. The lottery is free money to them. In a way, it's another form of taxation. One that people just can't wait to throw their money at. I hope the tobacco companies really go after them and get them because they are nothing but cheap crooks who are bringing America down.

I heard the Ford Motor Company CEO is not taking a salary. Believe me, he is not being kind hearted and there is a reason for it; but I don't remember. There used to be a lot of heads of companies that didn't take salaries, and it wasn't because they felt your pain.

[taxbreak]

Its an outrage! I thought once, twice, and then of my parents. My parents LOST their retirements in a "fraud" scenario. They have proved "fraud" in the courts.

The moneys gone.

Before anyone attacks "emotively" remember that most of the people at the DOJ do not receive $100K donations. (Or for that fact a phone call to tell your family members to sell.)

Yeah there are people who will "suck up" to the boss. And to them: "you are nothing but dirty sock suckers" the type who are drawn into the "dirtest of laundry" choose the "dirtiest sock" and then "mouth it" as if it were clean.

It is not me, not america, to think of the trajedy of 633 million dollars spent of the type of TV spot that we get exposed to. INFLAMED? Don't like the picture? GOOD! I don't like the ads and what people will sink to to run them.

IF I "ran for president" or the "Senate" or for "Congress" and filed with the election board I went into a bank and handed a note to the teller with the most fierce look on my face I could muster that said: "Give me a campaign donation!" and said nothing... do I get to keep the money or is it robbing a bank?

You can keep pretending that you can toss your brother into an oven and continue to stand in line.. but when it comes to your parents you have to draw the line.

I made a decision.. CROOKS!

[Howlin]

special counsel to investigate the Enron collapse

Ah, there goes Larry again. A special counsel is NOT a fishing expedition like he's use to running.

There has to be a NAMED person and facts that support it.

So, who is Larry accusing?

[HENRYADAMS]

Because politicians are corrupt per se. Justice department and congressional figures are politicians, therefore they also are corrupt.

[PhiKapMom]

LOL! I wondered how soon it would take for him to put out a release. Must be time for another fundraiser!

Seems he could get a lot more money if he were investigating ms. clinton's PAC where 3/4 of the money is spent on expenses. But then JW has the same pattern as ms. clinton. Maybe JW and ms. clinton should both be investigated for taking in contributions and what they do with the money!

[BeAChooser]

I really would like to see Clinton Administration explain all about Ron Brown and those trips.

I'd like to see the Bush Administration explain the hole in Brown's head and the SHAM investigation run by the Clinton administration into his death.

[Wait4Truth]

The only way ol' Larry can stay in business is to try to paint the Bush Administration as being exactly the same as the clinton administration. So, that's what he's doing now and has been doing since Bush was elected. Klayman is a total sham and should be repudiated by any honest freeper. And before you even speak, I already know you agree. :-)

[Howlin]

Lo and behold, it is reported he calls up Don Evans, Commerce Secretary and former Bush fundraiser, to ask that the government intervene with a private ratings service to help Enron. This contact in particular seems improper on its face and deserves an independent investigation.

Larry must have left this part out:

``As Enron's negotiations with its bankers for an extension of credit neared a decision point, the president of Enron asked Undersecretary Fisher to call the banks,'' Davis said.

Fisher ``inferred he was being asked to encourage the banks to extend credit. He made no such calls,'' she said.

And, emphasizing that it wasn't only Bush administration officials who were close to Enron, the Treasury Department disclosed Friday evening that former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, a Democrat, had also sought Fisher's intervention on behalf of Enron.

Rubin, now chairman of the executive committee of financial giant Citigroup, called Fisher on Nov. 8, at a time that rating agencies were poised to downgrade their opinions on the financial status of Enron.

``Rubin asked Fisher what he thought of the idea of Fisher placing a call to rating agencies to encourage them to work with Enron's bankers to see if there was an alternative to an immediate downgrade,'' said Davis.

``Fisher responded that he didn't think it advisable to make such a call,'' said the Treasury spokeswoman. Rubin said he thought that was a reasonable position. Fisher made no such call.''

A Rubin spokesman, Michael Schlein, confirmed Treasury's characterization of the conversation with Fisher as ``largely accurate.'' Schlein added that Rubin ``had prefaced the call by saying, `This may not be the best idea,' and in the end agreed with Fisher that it wasn't a good idea.''

Citigroup Inc., the nation's largest bank, is among a group of banks that lent hundreds of millions of dollars to Enron, hoping to keep it going so earlier loans would be repaid. Citigroup was said to be owed about $800 million.

Citigroup is a HUGE benefactor to one Joseph Lieberman.