Reply #1: A big ol' Schadenfreude Shout-Out to Dick Cheney! [View All]

from further along in the same article:

> "Halliburton wasn't involved in this," said a Halliburton spokesperson. "This was all put together well before we acquired Dresser."
> According to lawyers familiar with the relevant US statutes, however, that may not be a complete defence. Under US law, companies become responsible for any regulatory issues of companies they acquire. And TSKJ continued to win contracts to extend the project until 2002, using Mr Tesler as an agent.
> Furthermore, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) penalises any company officers who "knew or should have known" that bribes were paid. Mr Cheney was personally involved in the acquisition of Dresser, raising the question whether the due diligence conducted during the acquisition should have brought any impropriety to light, lawyers say.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the Nigerian and the French judge, as well as to Peter Clark, the DOJ official who is making good on his statement that "we" wouldn't let politics interfere with a case like this. Could Clark be a career civil servant and not a neocon appointee? Hmmm?
A few more tidbits from the article:

> The penalties for violating the FCPA are severe. Lockheed was fined a total of $25m in 1995 for paying $1m to an Egyptian politician. The alleged payments in TSKJ's case could reach $180m.
> Furthermore, company executives can face five years' jail for each instance of bribery, even if they did not know it was occurring. Companies can be also barred from bidding for government contracts - an important component of Halliburton's business around the world.

It may never happen, but how sweet it is to contemplate Halliburton and Cheney, together again at last...in a court of law.

Hekate