Enron Briefs~two-thirds of Americans think the Bush administration is hiding something or lying about it's ties to Enron

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Jan. 18, 2002, 9:42PM

Enron Briefs

State courts will get investor suits

A state ancillary judge ruled Friday that state court has jurisdiction in a case where Enron Corp. investors are suing auditor Andersen in an attempt to recoup their stock losses.

State District Judge Caroline Baker also granted an order restraining Andersen from any further destruction of documents related to Enron's financial collapse.

George Fleming, representing members of the Houston Federation of Teachers and other investors in Enron shares, requested the order. He said he will now seek discovery of Andersen's total assets and potential liability.

Andersen attorney Rusty Hardin said the order has no real significance, since the firm has stopped the record-shredding.

Politicians return campaign donations

Politicians eager to dump their campaign contributions from beleaguered Enron Corp. are pumping money into a Houston foundation's new fund to help the bankrupt energy giant's laid-off employees.

The Greater Houston Community Foundation had been informally discussing how to help many of the 4,500 employees who found themselves jobless in early December after Enron filed for bankruptcy.

Then, on Wednesday, the calls offering assistance began pouring in. On Friday, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said she would donate nearly $8,000 in campaign contributions from Enron and its accounting firm, Andersen. And New York Gov. George Pataki said he'd add a $5,000 campaign contribution from the wife of Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said Thursday she planned to give $100,000 she had received in contributions from Enron and its employees.

Gramm says move not Enron related

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Phil Gramm's spokesman dismissed suggestions Friday that the Texas lawmaker's decision to retire after 26 years in Congress was related to the collapse of energy giant Enron Corp., where his wife Wendy Gramm was a member of the company's board of directors and supervised its auditors.

Wendy Gramm along with other members of the Enron board of directors were expected to be questioned by a congressional committee investigating the downfall of the energy trading company.

Larry Neal, Sen. Gramm's spokesman, said his decision to step down was "utterly unrelated" to the Enron debacle. Any assertion of a link comes from people "who are capable of hating so hard that their claims become not just insulting, but downright silly."

Oklahoma agencies suffer huge losses

OKLAHOMA CITY -- State agency losses linked to the collapse of Enron Corp. stock have reached almost $7 million and financial officers are still counting, officials said Friday. The losses, primarily in state pension systems, have prompted the office of Attorney General Drew Edmondson to join a federal class-action lawsuit in Houston that seeks to recover money from Enron, Andersen and other companies.

The biggest hit in Oklahoma -- $2.75 million -- was reported Friday by the state Schools Land Trust, which benefits public schools.

Poll: White House is hiding something

Almost two-thirds of Americans in a new CBS News poll think the Bush administration is either hiding something or lying about its relationship with Enron, the failed energy trading company that has been a big contributor to the president and to other politicians from both parties. The poll of 1,030 adults was taken Jan. 15-17 and released Friday.

Among the poll findings:

· Almost two-thirds -- 63 percent -- think the Bush administration isn't telling everything it knows about its relationship with Enron.

· Just over half said the company's calls to the Bush administration for help were wrong.

From staff and wire reports

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), January 19, 2002

Answers

ONLY 2/3? Well, Bob Boudelang, American Patriot is still holding onto the "Bush didn't do it" philosophy.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), January 19, 2002.

Politicians eager to dump their campaign contributions from beleaguered Enron Corp. are pumping money into a Houston foundation's new fund to help the bankrupt energy giant's laid-off employees.

One of these highly motivated politicians is NY Senator Hillary Clinton.

-- (lars@indy.net), January 19, 2002.


Lars, God knows I don't like Hillary one damn bit, but regarding your post, I have to say "so what?"

-- Peyter Errington (petere7@starpower.net), January 19, 2002.

You're right Peter, it's a trivial point. I make it only to remind the Dems that they too have been compromised by Enron money.

-- (lars@indy.net), January 19, 2002.

How many think Laura Bush is a lesbian? If that question is asked over and over, week in and week out the numbers will go up in favor of yes. Takes a sincere dedication to make something out of bullshit but that's what bullshitters do. Is Daschle really hung like a squirrel or is it just the Dakota cold? You heard it here first!

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), January 19, 2002.


A lot of people say that Hillary is a lesbian. I say Hillary is straight, and Laura Bush is a lesbian. With a husband like Dumbya, there is no way she can be satisfied with a heterosexual relationship.

-- (yep@it's.true), January 19, 2002.

Carlos, that's exactly what Chris Mathews said that he would do in a published letter to the network. He'd continue to say that Bush is involved until people believed it.

A CBS poll?! Please, that means 2/3 of dems believe Bush isn't telling all. Of course he's not telling because there's nothing to tell. And over half dems said the call for help was wrong? Too funny! I can't stop laughing.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), January 22, 2002.


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