Molly Ivins: Ken Lay used George W. Bush as an errand boy.

"We need to reform the political system, or we'll lose the democracy."

HOUSTON, Texas -- A Houston jury convicted both Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling, despite the fact that Kenny Boy packed his Bible to the courtroom every day.

Since it is a long and noble Texas tradition for the accused to fight all allegations by finding Jesus, this indicates a major degree of guilt. (While on trial for murder, T. Cullen Davis, the Fort Worth millionaire, not only found Jesus but also threw a big party to celebrate at the mansion, with piles of shrimp and BBQ and a soundtrack that announced over and over throughout the grounds that night, "The son of Stinky Davis has found the son of God.")....

Plus, Enron's PAC gave Bush $113,800 for his '94 and '98 political races and another $312,500 from its executives. Bush got 14 free rides on Enron's corporate jets during the 2000 campaign, including at least two during the recount. Until January 2004, Enron was Bush's top contributor.

And what did it get for its money? Ken Lay was on Bush's short list to be energy secretary. He not only almost certainly served on Cheney's energy task force, there is every indication that the task force's energy plan, the one we have been on for five years, is in fact the Enron plan. Lay used Bush as an errand boy, calling the governor of Texas and having him phone Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania to vouch for what swell energy deregulation bills Enron was sponsoring in states all over the country....

http://www.creators.com/opinion_show.cfm?columnsName=miv

against Mr. Gore in 00. They both contributed $10K each.

the working class. He gave to W, and socked the working class 100%.

Of course, W is still out there saying "what is the working class". He has no familiarity or bonds with the working class. None what so ever. The idiot probably thinks they are paid 6$ an hour for spending 30 seconds to produce a widget, or a product, or something like that...he's sure.

that the Chimp was "installed" by the powerful corporatocracy that now runs this country should have been laid to rest long ago.

The 2000 election was a bloodless coup (the blood came later).

turned down (a flattering at the time) offer to be Administrator of his law firm. I'd have had to quit.

"an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks, to collect a bill..."

And Brando said it so well.

i think they thought they could pull it off

...call-girls and rent-boys, too.

Yep, everything a corporation could ever want, one-stop shopping in the White House. Hell, the Capitol Building is like a great big outlet mall for them.

Recommended.

shopping for a deal? Just go see Enron....they got the the Pass.

In most places, that would make decent people ill. It is SO not cool to suddenly find Jesus for the sole purpose of avoiding the consequences of one's behavior.

In Texas, it's SOP.

BTW, if it's true that Ken Lay was on the short list to be Secretary of Energy... boy, how did we luck out and dodge at least that one bullet?

cool..kennyboy_the secretary of energy and then enron blowing up and a scandal right inside the bushits cabinet as if there isn't already.

How do I love thee. Let me count the ways. :yourock: :yourock:

pipeline he deperately needed...Cheney promised it to him. Sure wish we could see those Energy Papers.

The fat cats have had *Chimpy* in their pockets all along. * is the puppet.:kick:

While the White House has repeatedly described former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay as simply a "supporter" of George W. Bush, extensive correspondence between the two men paints a far cozier picture of their relationship, according to copies of letters obtained this afternoon (2/15) by The Smoking Gun.

The pages of correspondence, exchanged during the years Bush served as governor of Texas, were released today in Austin by the state archives in response to Freedom of Information requests filed by TSG and other news organizations.

The Bush-Lay material touches on both personal matters (birthday greetings and Bush's knee surgery) and public concerns of Lay and Enron, such as energy legislation and tort reform, and reflects the kind of jocular relationship that reportedly saw the nickname-happy Bush call the Enron boss "Kenny Boy." The Houston-based energy firm, Bush's leading career political contributor, is now bankrupt and the target of a multitude of criminal and congressional probes.

We've arranged the Bush-Lay letters into several batches and, where applicable, have followed an original letter with the recipent's reply. TSG will upload the correspondence as quickly as we can scan the documents. You'll find the first 15 letters below along with links that will get you to the additional pages.

Pages 1-15

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/bushlay1.html

Pardon me, boy ..