White House downplays ties to Lay [View All]

[UpInArms]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/2669071

WASHINGTON -- The White House sought today to minimize President Bush's ties with indicted former Enron chief Kenneth Lay, saying it has been a long time since they talked and suggesting it was only a passing friendship.

When Bush was governor of Texas, he called Lay "Kenny Boy" and Enron was a big financial backer. Bush has received more than $550,000 in donations from Enron, its employees and their relatives during his political career -- the most from any source.

Lay was accused in an 11-count indictment of being involved in a wide- ranging scheme to deceive the public, company shareholders and government regulators about the energy company that he founded and led to industry prominence before its collapse in 2001.

"Cracking down on corporate wrongdoing is a top priority for this president," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said when asked about Lay's indictment today. "The administration is taking strong and aggressive actions to pursue corporate wrongdoers and to strengthen corporate accountability. I don't think I'm going to get into discussing specifically a criminal indictment."

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next they'll be trying to pass him off as an Ann Richards supporter again.