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WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Congress members who have received contributions from Enron should
recuse themselves from investigating the collapsed energy corporation,
say leaders in the Green Party of the United States.
"Any member of Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, who has
received campaign funding from PACs or executives connected with Enron
should consider him- or herself compromised, and should not be in a
position of investigating, bringing charges against, or judging
Enron," said attorney Mark Dunlea, the vice-chair of the Green
Party of New York State. "We call for an independent
investigation and an independent prosecutor."
"There's a danger that Enron's extensive political connections --
to both parties, to both the Clinton and Bush Administrations -- ensure
that possibly illegal actions by public officials on behalf of Enron
will never be investigated adequately or prosecuted by Senate
committees."
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Enron has made campaign
contributions of $5.8 million, three-quarters of it to Republicans, one
quarter to Democrats. 71 of the 100 current Senators and nearly half of
the House's 435 members have received Enron money, including Rep. Sheila
Jackson Lee ($38,000) and Senator Charles Schumer ($21,933). Six
of the ten top recipients of Enron money in the House are Democrats.
Enron also contributed $25,000 to Sen. Joseph Lieberman's New Democrat
Network in 2000.
Thanks to this influence in Congress, say Greens, Enron won an exemption
for its energy derivatives business under a 2000 act regulating
commodity futures trading.
"Both Democrats and Republicans hesitate to admit the obvious --
that Enron's huge contributions have given them leverage over public
policy, including energy, deregulation, and foreign investment and trade
authority," added Holly Hart, co-chair of the Iowa Green Party.
"Greens have little doubt that Enron's money helped persuade Bush
to gut the Clean Air Act. But to admit this would be a bipartisan
confession that bribery, regardless of legality, is now business as
usual in Congress and the White House, whether Democrats or Republicans
are in power."
Greens note that Enron exercised wide influence over the Clinton
Administration, which explains why Democrats may decline to investigate
the full extent of Enron's current White House connections and possible
improprieties. Mickey Kantor, Clinton's Commerce Secretary, helped Enron
win a $100 million contract to build a 150-megawatt power plant in
Croatia. National security adviser Tony Lake and Commerce Secretary Ron
Brown helped Enron win contracts in Mozambique and India. Enron
introduced the Clinton team to Lippo Industries and to John Huang,
providers of questionable political money to Clinton, as they sought
influence in the Clinton White House.
"The Enron collapse must be considered a political scandal, not
just a case of corporate mismanagement and bilking of employees and
investors," said Wisconsin Green activist Ben Manski, who sits on
the party's national steering committee.
"The likely involvement of Enron CEO Ken Lay at the highest levels
of decision making in the Bush Administration and the number of White
House officials who were recently on the Enron payroll and list of major
investors suggest that Enron wasn't just a lobby, but practically a
member of the Bush Cabinet."
The Green Party and its candidates do not accept money from corporate
political action committees.
More Information:
The Green Party of the United States http://gpus.org
and http://www.gp.org
The Center for Responsive Politics http://www.opensecrets.org
Green Party Media Contacts:
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576, nallen@acadia.net
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com
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