'plain o joe'
Membership Revoked
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4805.shtml
From Capitol Hill Blue
Angry Bush Walks Out on Media, Refuses to Answer Questions About Relationship With Ken Lay
By Staff and Wire Reports
Jul 8, 2004, 16:44
A clearly-rattled President George W. Bush walked out of a media briefing Thursday, refusing to answer questions about his close relationship with indicted Enron executive Kenneth Lay, a campaign benefactor Bush nicknamed "Kenny Boy" when the two were up-and-comers in Texas.
The President, visibly upset, stomped off the stage when reporters pressed him about his relationship
with Lay and left White House press secretary Scott McClellan to deal with the questions.
It has been "quite some time" since Bush and Lay talked with each other,
McClellan said Thursday, brushing off questions about whether the two were
friends.
"He was a supporter in the past and he's someone that I would also point out
has certainly supported Democrats and Republicans in the past," McClellan said.
Lay clearly favored the GOP. He and his wife, Linda, donated $882,580 to
federal candidates from 1989-2001, according to the Center for Responsive
Politics. All but $86,470 went to Republicans.
McClellan declined to discuss the federal indictment charging Lay with a
wide-ranging scheme to deceive the public, company shareholders and
government regulators about the energy company that he founded and led to
industry prominence before its collapse.
Instead, McClellan answered questions about Lay by talking about Bush's desire to curb corporate
fraud.
"This president has worked to go after those wrongdoers and directed his administration to pursue
those who are dishonest in the boardroom," McClellan said.
"The president has made it very clear that we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardroom. This
administration worked to uncover abuses and scandals in the corporate arena. And certainly the
president's concern is with those workers and other people who have been harmed by corporate
wrongdoing," McClellan said.
Democrat John Kerry's campaign had a different view, accusing the administration of dragging its feet
on Enron. "It was three years too late," Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said of the Lay
indictment.
Lay's relationship with the Bush family dates from at least 1990 when he was co-chairman of former
President Bush's economic summit for industrialized nations, which was held in Houston. Lay also was
co-chairman of the host committee for the Republican National Convention when it was held in Houston
in 1992.
The Center for Public Integrity, a Washington-based nonprofit group, said the Lays had given $139,500
to George W. Bush's political campaigns over the years.
Those donations were part of $602,000 that Enron employees gave to Bush's various campaigns,
making Enron the leading political patron for Bush at the time of the company's bankruptcy in 2001.
In addition to Lay's political campaign donations, he and his wife contributed $100,000 to Bush's 2001
inauguration. Lay also was a fund-raiser for Bush, bringing in at least $100,000 for the president's 2002
campaign. That put Lay in "Pioneer" status as one of the president's top money-raisers.
© Copyright 2004 Capitol Hill Blue
From Capitol Hill Blue
Angry Bush Walks Out on Media, Refuses to Answer Questions About Relationship With Ken Lay
By Staff and Wire Reports
Jul 8, 2004, 16:44
A clearly-rattled President George W. Bush walked out of a media briefing Thursday, refusing to answer questions about his close relationship with indicted Enron executive Kenneth Lay, a campaign benefactor Bush nicknamed "Kenny Boy" when the two were up-and-comers in Texas.
The President, visibly upset, stomped off the stage when reporters pressed him about his relationship
with Lay and left White House press secretary Scott McClellan to deal with the questions.
It has been "quite some time" since Bush and Lay talked with each other,
McClellan said Thursday, brushing off questions about whether the two were
friends.
"He was a supporter in the past and he's someone that I would also point out
has certainly supported Democrats and Republicans in the past," McClellan said.
Lay clearly favored the GOP. He and his wife, Linda, donated $882,580 to
federal candidates from 1989-2001, according to the Center for Responsive
Politics. All but $86,470 went to Republicans.
McClellan declined to discuss the federal indictment charging Lay with a
wide-ranging scheme to deceive the public, company shareholders and
government regulators about the energy company that he founded and led to
industry prominence before its collapse.
Instead, McClellan answered questions about Lay by talking about Bush's desire to curb corporate
fraud.
"This president has worked to go after those wrongdoers and directed his administration to pursue
those who are dishonest in the boardroom," McClellan said.
"The president has made it very clear that we will not tolerate dishonesty in the boardroom. This
administration worked to uncover abuses and scandals in the corporate arena. And certainly the
president's concern is with those workers and other people who have been harmed by corporate
wrongdoing," McClellan said.
Democrat John Kerry's campaign had a different view, accusing the administration of dragging its feet
on Enron. "It was three years too late," Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said of the Lay
indictment.
Lay's relationship with the Bush family dates from at least 1990 when he was co-chairman of former
President Bush's economic summit for industrialized nations, which was held in Houston. Lay also was
co-chairman of the host committee for the Republican National Convention when it was held in Houston
in 1992.
The Center for Public Integrity, a Washington-based nonprofit group, said the Lays had given $139,500
to George W. Bush's political campaigns over the years.
Those donations were part of $602,000 that Enron employees gave to Bush's various campaigns,
making Enron the leading political patron for Bush at the time of the company's bankruptcy in 2001.
In addition to Lay's political campaign donations, he and his wife contributed $100,000 to Bush's 2001
inauguration. Lay also was a fund-raiser for Bush, bringing in at least $100,000 for the president's 2002
campaign. That put Lay in "Pioneer" status as one of the president's top money-raisers.
© Copyright 2004 Capitol Hill Blue
Keep it up Joe I listen even if I don't agree.
