Cheney debate rekindles

[Nottingham]

Cheney debate rekindles
Ties to Halliburton remain, report says
By DAVID IVANOVICH
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- A new congressional report intensifies the debate over Vice President Dick Cheney's claims to have severed ties with his old employer, Houston's Halliburton Co.

The Congressional Research Service, without mentioning Cheney by name, has concluded that the kind of deferred salary and unexercised stock options the vice president has been receiving from Halliburton could constitute a continuing "financial interest" in the company under federal ethics rules.

Releasing the report Thursday, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., called on Cheney to give up all deferred compensation from the oil-field service, engineering and construction firm.

"It doesn't look right," Lautenberg said. "It isn't right."

White House officials reject that argument, saying they checked with federal ethics officials years ago on how to manage Cheney's payments from Halliburton to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Democrats have been on the attack since Cheney, appearing on NBC's Meet the Press Sept. 14, said: "Since I left Halliburton ... I've severed all my ties with the company, gotten rid of all my financial interest. I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and haven't had, now, for over three years."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/2120770

more....

Ya I would say it doesn't look right at ALL!

I saw the Journalist talking about this and they go well we took No bids from Iraq contracts cause there are not Any other American companies out there who can do the job! :bounce:

Like Haliburton

I just want to :puke: the Journalists were stumbling over words and looking down they have NO SOULS!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. actually the fact they were looking down

indicates their consciences were indeed registering the fact that it is indeed not right as Sen. Lautenberg so plainly said.

[Wickerman]

2. "I've...gotten rid of all my financial interest"

Bullshit. Nearly 200k a year in deferred compensation. I know that isn't even notable for a wealthy crook like Cheney, but to the rest of American that sum represents 5 to 7 years of full time employment. arrogant bastard.

[mediaman007]

7. Don't pay me yet

wait until I'm elected and I can change those tax rates.

[Nottingham]

3. I saw a table of Prominant Journalists sit there and say

they saw nothing wrong that Halliburton got the contracts without an open bidding!



:hurts: I couldn't believe the crap spilling from their mouths!

I lost ALL RESPECT FOR THEM! It happened last nite with that british
guy he is the moderator and all these old journalists give their opinions! and it was just plain propoganda for Bush!
They don't even let one person talk against him anymore!

Amazing

[gratuitous]

4. All I know is what I read in the papers

And it sure looks like Dick Cheney is vigorously prosecuting war with Iraq in order to enrich himself. I mean, I can't say for sure whether Cheney is such a soulless antihuman that he would sacrifice the lives of thousands of innocent Iraqis and Americans just for the sake of making more money than he can possibly spend and enjoy in his life, but it sure looks that way.

If you think about it, Cheney has deliberately engaged in a course of action that guarantees a permanent stream of death and dismemberment while it puts more money into his own pocket. There are collateral benefits of debatable quality, but they seem almost incidental to the vast riches he's funneling to himself.

What sort of monster would do this?

These observations and this question are provided free, as a public service, by your friendly neighborhood gratuitous. Any lurking media folks who are stuck for subject for their column or show are welcome to use any or all of these musings for their own, without charge or acknowledgement. Salut!

[barbaraann]

5. Re: "What sort of monster would do this?"

Well, David Icke would say they are reptilian, but after almost three years of rule by the BFEE I am thinking that what Icke says is an insult to reptiles.

[KharmaTrain]

8. It's The Power Game

I've rarely met someone who says he has enough money or power...especially politicians and even more especially Repugnicans.

This isn't about how much money Chenney has or needs, this is a game of making the most, keeping the most and doing better than the next billionaire. It's a game played on many levels...in business, politics, media and now it's multi-national. This is the game that matters to the ilks of Chenney and the CONservative Rich. Individuals don't matter since they're never seen. And there's absolutely no accountability or responsibility required of these people.

This started in the Raygun days when thieves like North and Keating and Neil Bush and Casper "The Friendly" Weinberger walked free from criminal activities...and those that were caught quickly paid off and got to play another day. But that's nothing compared to the greedmongers of today. They not only saw how the others got away with it, they have to do better. This is especially the case when they've got so many of the public distracted, confused or just plain turned off.

[oneighty]

9. Yes, a game.

He who dies with the most toys, wins.

180

[The Magistrate]

6. The Unexercised Stock Options, Sir

Are worth millions. And their value climbs with every dollar paid to Halliburton in guise of "re-constructing" Iraq.

[Fridays Child]

10. So he's got an insurance policy and a charitable trust. Any questions?

Yes.

First, this policy that insures him against the possibility of Halliburton taking a dump and failing to pay out his deferred compensation: I can't see how such a policy could pay benefits any higher than some minimum amount arrived at by averaging out Halliburton's past profitability. In which case, it would still be in Cheney's interest to do everything he could to help Halliburton make as much money as possible. Right?

And second, this charitable trust into which his stock profits are deposited: What is it and who benefits from it? I'd like to know.

[flpeach]

11. Think about this a moment . . . . .

What if, just what if, it were Clinton instead of Cheney. Can you imagine the uproar?! Even the media would be on his tail!! Damn, I wish the media (I mean cable news shows, not newspapers) would start really putting this information out to all these people that never read. And speaking of reading, our * resident never reads, he has people to tell him what to think. What a joke. But I'm not laughing!

They would impeach Clinton for this. Not fair.

[dusty64]

12. I heard that ethics laws

do NOT apply to the WH, since when and how can that be.