Bush picks former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot to head Republican National Committee
Novak's right: Racicot should go. An Enron lobbyist as RNC chair? Forget it!
CNN INSIDE POLITICS - Transcript - Aired July 19, 2002 - 16:00 ET
"WOODRUFF: The two major party chairmen are with me now to talk about the politics of corporate responsibility and the upcoming midterm elections. Republican Mark Racicot is in San Francisco. Democrat Terry McAuliffe is here in Washington. Gentlemen, both of you have corporate ties.
Terry McAuliffe, you were invested in Global Crossings. It's now under investigation by the SEC. Mark Racicot you lobbied for companies including Enron. My question to both of you, is are you both appropriate spokesman for your party on these issues? Terry McAuliffe.
TERRY MCAULIFFE, DNC CHAIRMAN: All can I tell you is Republicans keep talking about Global Crossing. I was merely an investor. I never worked for the company. I was not on the board. I was never an officer. I was fortunate to be an investor in that company and I feel bad for everybody who lost money and the shareholders that lost money, that people lost their job.
Judy, I merely invested. I was like millions of people who owned stock in companies and had no say over the management, how the company was run. We can't hold people accountable just because they hold shares of a company.
WOODRUFF: Mark Racicot, you lobbied for several companies including Enron.
MARK RACICOT, RNC CHAIRMAN: Well, I performed legal services for Enron. But let me say plainly that Terry McAuliffe is imminently well qualified to speak for the Democratic party. The fact of the matter is, we all ought to in this country make certain that we avoid the kind of suggestion or innuendo or implication that somehow impunes the character of people for having been associated with some kind of a business entity and there's no proof whatsoever to suggest anything inappropriate. That's the case with Terry McAuliffe. It's the case with me. It's the case with the president. It's the case the vice president. People ought to quit trying to opportunistically take advantage of this particular issue. WOODRUFF: Let me ask you both about this. At a time when we're talking about corporate responsibility, both of your parties are taking enormous amounts of money from corporations. Over the last 10 years, the Republicans have taken in over $635 million. The Democrats have taken in $450 million. Is there -- where is the truth when both parties are going after this money at the same time you're saying corporations clean your house.
Hugs for everyone.
Statement from DNC Chairman McAuliffe on Vice President Cheney and Halliburton
Story Filed: Friday, July 19, 2002 2:20 PM EST
WASHINGTON, Jul 19, 2002 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The following is a statement from DNC Chairman McAuliffe on Vice President Cheney and Halliburton:
"Vice President Cheney should explain to the people of Houston why his company misled investors while he was CEO of Halliburton. The people of Houston know all too well the painful results of corporate accounting tricks.
"Vice President Cheney should spend more time explaining his business practices and the accounting tricks he used as CEO of Halliburton and less time raising money for the Republican Party.
"Restoring investor faith in corporations is vital to getting the economy moving in the right direction. The administration has to come clean on questions surrounding their business practices before the American people take them seriously on corporate responsibility."
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