Enron's secret bid to save deregulation

[dutchdemocrat]

In terms of the Palast article, (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=14705) this adds an interesting light. The SF Chronicle covered it - a lot earlier that Palast and with a more objective tone. We still don't know how many were at the meeting but note the last paragraph of the article. Who knows what happened after back doors later. But that's another angle on the tale.

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Enron's secret bid to save deregulation

PRIVATE MEETING: Chairman pitches his plan to prominent Californians
Christian Berthelsen, Scott Winokur, Chronicle Staff Writers
Saturday, May 26, 2001

©2002 San Francisco Chronicle.

URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/05/26/MN209410.DTL


Energy executive Kenneth Lay, head of powerful Enron Corp., quietly courted Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Riordan, Michael Milken and other luminaries this week in Beverly Hills to drum up support for his solution to California's energy crisis.

His prescription called for more rate increases, an end to state and federal investigations and less rather than more regulation.

Lay, a close friend of President Bush and one of his largest campaign contributors, hosted a private 90-minute meeting in a conference room at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills on Thursday.

Among the participants were Milken, the former head of the Drexel Burnham Lambert investment banking firm who pleaded guilty to fraud charges in 1990 and who now runs a think tank based in Santa Monica; movie star Schwarzenegger; and Riordan, the mayor of Los Angeles. Schwarzenegger and Riordan have been courted recently as GOP gubernatorial candidates.

(snip)

[cprise]

1. If Cali votes him in, I'm leaving the US

None of the current presidential candidates could save us from this pattern of self-destructive stupidity.

[AndyTiedye]

2. We Won't Vote Him In, But the Machinez Might

[Loyal]

4. hahaha

:)

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. How is Milken a 'luminary'?

He's a crook - a very big one. Who would take anything he says as anything more than another fraud? Isn't associating with him another embarrassment for The Octopus?

[Gin]

5. Is he still on probation?

gin

[sam sarrha]

6. this can be used to recal the Swartz' if he is Elected to governer.

this might never end....