Boxer goes after energy chief (demands Woods' resignation from FERC)

[UpInArms]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/06/17/MNG4H777BG1.DTL

Washington -- California Sen. Barbara Boxer demanded the resignation Wednesday of Patrick Wood, the nation's top energy regulator, if he does not bow to the state's demands for $8.9 billion in electricity refunds and the renegotiation of expensive long-term contracts the state signed to relieve the 2000-01 electricity crisis.

Boxer made the demand -- which she applied to all members of the five- member Federal Energy Regulatory Commission -- in a letter to President Bush, after an hour-long meeting with Wood, in light of the release of tape recordings of Enron energy traders talking openly about gaming the California electricity market to drive up prices during the crisis.

"In the name of the millions of Americans who were harmed by these scam artists, I call on you to instruct Chairman Pat Wood to cease and desist his opposition to California's claims, which have unfortunately been stymied in court due to (the commission's) failure to assist my state," Boxer, a Democrat, wrote to Bush.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein echoed the complaints but did not call for Wood's resignation. Feinstein instead wrote Wood to "implore" him to refund the $8.9 billion state lawyers argue is owed to California electricity consumers and allow the contracts to be renegotiated, "or ask me and other members of Congress to provide you with the additional authority you need to carry these actions out."

...more...

[still_one]

1. FERC is a group appointed by the bush criminal family

they were fixing prices, it was not a fair market, how can they not allow the contracts to be renegotiated since a fraud was being perpetuated on the state?

[leesa]

2. Go Barbara! It probably cuts into Feinstein's profits in some way to

go against the energy industry. Hubby made a bundle off the Iraq war she voted for.

[Snellius]

3. What "if"? He should go now!

Wood has known about the Enron ripoff from the beginning and did nothing to protect the public as the FERC is mandated to do. He's even known about the infamous tapes for 2 years.

No wonder he's such a shill. Guess who recommended him?: Kenny Boy.

[sam sarrha]

4. So it looks like the Bush administration has known about the tapes

for about 2 years and has hidden them during a major lawsuit involving California and Enron... precisely about the subject on the tapes..which would have been evidence. and they started an investigation that will continue to hide the truth till after the ELECTION....

Good for Sen. Boxer for putting this in * s' lap.

[nodictators]

5. Remember what Bush and Cheney said then

As I recall Bush said he was against Price Caps! In other words, Gouge to your heart's content, Kenny-boy.

Cheney blamed it all on the Environmentalists. He said they had blocked construction of new power lines.

Now we know that their statements were crap.

However, as usual, the corporate media refuses to play the tapes of their statements.

[John_H]

6. My Email to Brit Hume

Britster:

Haven't heard much from you lately about Bush and the Governator putting California in play this November. Whats up? Enron gotcha down?

Best,
John H_____

[dusty64]

7. Good. The Democrats

need to start demanding action on the dozens of crimes and scandals these criminals have been allowed to get away with and the corporate media is refusing to cover.

[salin]

8. And they USED to claim that Woods appointment

(... after the original appointee was pushed out on the recommendation of Ken Lay - who then endorsed Wood...)

was independent, and that there was no evidence that he had ever intervened in ways that helped ENRON.

[David__77]

9. Go Boxer! Victory in November!

I'm pretty confident she will comfortably win reelection, but we Californians shouldn't be complacent. The right-wingers are going to fight hard for ultra-conservative Bill Jones, an anti-choice, anti-gay, pro-corporate evildoer former Secretary of State who tried to revoke people's legitimate voting rights.

[Mountainman]

10. Are the tapes on the web somewhere where they could be heard?

Could we popularize them by directing people to them?