Archive through January 17, 2002

The ClubHouse: Archives: The Enron Fiasco: Archive through January 17, 2002

Twiggyish

Tuesday, January 15, 2002 - 07:00 pm Click here to edit this post
How could this happen??


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/articles/enron_fall011302.html


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49073-2002Jan15.html

This shows a timeline:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25624-2002Jan10.html

Nancy

Tuesday, January 15, 2002 - 07:13 pm Click here to edit this post
i have a friend that used to work at enron--but let during a re-arranging that was done this past spring-she said she could see something coming the last month or so.....

Twiggyish

Tuesday, January 15, 2002 - 07:21 pm Click here to edit this post
I'm glad she got out. It seems a lot of people were convinced to stay.

If you read the timeline, there are some interesting developments involving several politicians and people in the current administration.

Nancy

Tuesday, January 15, 2002 - 07:29 pm Click here to edit this post
yeh she almost stayed but left because it was right for her at the time--and boy is that true now..something def seems like it needs major investigative work...

Teddybear

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 10:01 am Click here to edit this post
I know quite a few people that worked there. They lost so much money. One of my aunts still works there though. She says she is going down with the ship, even though she lost 10s of thousands in her 401(k). I'd leave personally, but I am sure the job market is nowhere near good right now.

I just wonder if they are going to rename our baseball stadium. Thats embarrasing!

Jenhavins

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 10:05 am Click here to edit this post
Teddybear...I work for McLane company (Drayton's old company now owned by WalMart), and they will be renaming the Field. He still lives here in Temple, Texas and they had an interview with him in the local paper.

Highlander

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 10:46 am Click here to edit this post
Don't forget what Arthur Anderson did. Its interesting to note that Arthur Anderson had consulting contract with State of Texas in 2000 worth $4 million. Enron and Anderson were looking out for all the fatcats. Goddard the Arthur Anderson CEO in Houston was major Bush fundraiser.

This is all going to get pretty ugly

Lancecrossfire

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 10:52 am Click here to edit this post
Clinton lays in bed with an intern and gets egg on his face and disgraces his family.

Bush lays in bed with crooks who cost an awful lot of people a heck of a lot of money---as well as screwing with the country's ecomomy.

Big picture wise, the horndog Democrat didn't hurt nearly as many people as the greedy shady Republican.

Nothing like big busniness and how they watch out for us regular folk.

Grooch

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 11:02 am Click here to edit this post
Hey Lance, didn't Enron donate huge sums of money to the Democrats too?

Lancecrossfire

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 11:08 am Click here to edit this post
They could have. Did the Democrats avoid the issue of ENRON screwing with people? My guess is that ENRON wasn't doing these flaky things at that time--but ther current administration sure could have handled this better. I'm wondering how much Bush and Ashcroft had into ENRON before they took office?

My comments are about the difference in how the two parties seem to screw up. Democrats get caught with their pants down, and Republicans get cuaght with their hand in the cash---or making it easy on those who affect the little guy when things go wrong.

I could be wrong though.

Highlander

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 11:15 am Click here to edit this post
Enron donated to Democrats but not nearly close to what was donated to the Republicans (73% versus 27%). Ken lay gave $550,000. Goddard and anderson gave $220,000. Lay and Goddard organized 212 big donors called pioneers who raised 24% of Bush's total campaign money.

The thing is with the Bush administration connection its a lot more complicated than just money. You had Dick Cheney meeting with lay six times when he was developing his energy policy. You had Bush using Enrons corporate jet when he was campaigning. The chairman of the SEC has ties to anderson and a few judges have already had to recuse themselves.

Hopefully, this will finally bring about proper campaign finance reform.

Highlander

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 11:23 am Click here to edit this post
D. Stephen Goddard, managing partner of Arthur Andersen's Houston Office (who was fired today as a result of Enron's audits and destroyed documents

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/15/business/15CND-ENRON.html) is a Bush "pioneer" who raised over $100,000 for the 2000 campaign:

D. Stephen Goddard, Jr., Bush Pioneer
http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/d_goddard.html

And three members of Venson & Elkins- Enron's law firm that Ken Lay asked them to investigated the charges of Sharron Watkins" August letter-were also Bush Pioneers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/15/business/15ENRO.html

They are:

Joe B. Allen, Bush Pioneer
http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/joe_allen.html

Thomas P. Marinis Jr., Bush Pioneer
http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/thomas_marinis.html

Robert H. Whilden, Jr., Bush Pioneer
http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/robert_whilden.html

And of course so was Ken Lay of Enron:

Ken Lay, Bush Pioneer
http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/kenneth_lay.html

Logan

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 11:29 am Click here to edit this post
Its interesting how Lay talked to everybody under the "sun" but not to the "son"(pun intended). Its interesting that Bush's staffers kept him fully briefed, but he knew nothing. Its interesting that Larry Thompson who took over investigation for Justice Dept. after Ashcroft recused himself, is also now in question. I always thought the Leader of the Country is there to protect the best interests of the citizens. If I was a regular employee of Enron, lost money - I would be furious the Leader of the country knew about financial troubles, and didn't take some steps to stop his best buddy from taking my money.

I find it amusing and curious, people don't pick up on Bush's response when asked if he met with Lay. Its a "play on wording".

It seems to me the response from Bush about his ties with Lay is about as believable as him saying:
"I did not have oral relations with that pretzel".

Nancy

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 01:03 pm Click here to edit this post
i'm not going to post everything my gf "told" me in an email today that works there but this is a piece of it..

Accounting fraud: They should be taken to the cleaners for this. Enron was always great at starting businesses. They had little clue how to
manage or grow them

SEC: This was more an
indirect effect from the accounting issue. But when a stock price is
$90 one day, and people continue to hang on after it drops below $60,
then it becomes the result of an uneducated investor, and their direct
choice to ride out the storm

Highlander

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 01:12 pm Click here to edit this post
You are right Nancy but the employees were in a different situation. One problem is that a good portion of their 401K was in enron stock if not all of it and they were preventing from selling. The other problem is that conveniently enough Enron was in the process of changing 401K administrators two weeks before the whole thing went belly up. During this period of transition employees were not allowed to change their 401K distributions or have access to it. That is also going to require a lot of investigation whether this was a ploy on Enron's part to prevent the employees from dumping the stock or cashing in. The employees werent uneducated investors they were prisoners. I have a friend who bought two hundred shares at 80 on the advise of her broker and after reading what the financial analysts had to say. When you have wall street lying, the accounting firm lying and the company itself hiding its debt it pretty much amounts to fraud and there isnt a whole lot you can do to protect yourself.

Nancy

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 01:16 pm Click here to edit this post
that's true---she was lucky enough to have left in july and able to cash in at that point but those they were not layed off --and/or let go prior to this debaucle had no such choice..

Twiggyish

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 01:50 pm Click here to edit this post
Disgusting!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A17-2001Nov8

As was stated, now it is up to investigators, as to which politicians knew about the problems and when they knew about them.

Logan

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 02:05 pm Click here to edit this post
I keep thinking of that saying, "if something looks too good to be true, it probably isn't"
Somehow this seems to apply to Enron. It was a company that was the darling of energy investment,investors.

Its a sad day, when a person invests in a company with the mantra, that blue chips are safe investments - and the company collapses.

I have no problem with large corporations making profits. However, when they deceive innocent victims with their need for greed, I think they should be held accountable. When its fact that public figures such as politicians and their staffers, dump their shares, while company employees are held hostage to no access of their investment. There is something wrong.

Yes, some may argue this is not political. However, when you look at all the principals involved...why is it the road always leads back to the Bush Family as being so strongly connected?

Yes, there are some Democrats who received some monies, but its miniscule when to consider the historic relations this company has had with mainly republican persons.

I think if the President says he didn't know. Well then he should have DARN WELL KNOWN! Is he not in the WH to ensure the people of USA are protected? By the way, I'm not bashing the president cuz he's republican. I would feel equally the same if this "fiasco" unfolded with a Demo President in charge.

Highlander

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 02:14 pm Click here to edit this post
Texans for Public Justice ** 609 W. 18th Street, Suite E, ** Austin, TX 78701
For Release:
Friday, July 28, 2000 Contact: Craig McDonald, Andrew Wheat
512-472-9770

Bush’s Pioneer Fundraising
Network Detailed in New Report

Group Analyzes & Profiles 212 Pioneers
CEO’s, Lobbyists & Welfare Recipients Lead List


Austin, Texas: A new study analyzing the 212 Pioneer fundraisers that have delivered at least 24% of Bush’s $90 million war chest concludes that their ranks are dominated by corporate executives and special interest lobbyists. The Pioneers group includes a host of polluters, corporate welfare recipients and trade group leaders who seek special favors for their particular industries. The report by Texans for Public Justice is the first in-depth look at each of the Pioneers. The report classifies and analyzes the Pioneers made public by Bush as of July 15, by their business and ideological interests, tracks the total money each spends on politics, and provides individual profiles of each of the 212. (Earlier this week the Bush campaign released a list of 14 additional Pioneers, bringing the total to 226.)

“Thanks to this small group of business tycoons & lobbyists, Bush has raised more money than any other political candidate in history, twice as much as any presidential candidate before him,” said Texans for Public Justice Director Craig L. McDonald. “If you can judge a candidate by his big donors, a Bush presidency will bring more corporate welfare, more pollution, less consumer regulation and more business lobbyists to the White House.”

Among the findings of The Bush Pioneer report:


133 Pioneers are business executives, George Bush appointed 16 Pioneers to state government posts, 14 have spent the night at the Governor’s mansion in Austin, 13 represent polluter interests, 35 have benefited from corporate-welfare, 26 have been involved in one or more campaign finance-related scandals, and 20 Pioneers have kept the revolving door between government and industry spinning.


The 212 identified Pioneers have raised a minimum of $21.2 million in hard money for Bush’s presidential effort. These 212 individuals also contributed $2.3 million to Bush’s gubernatorial campaigns, $7.1 million in hard money to federal candidates and PACs and $4.1 million in soft money contributions to federal political party committees since the ’96 election cycle.


The top 5 individual money movers among the Pioneers (total federal money since the ’96 election cycle plus money to Bush’s gubernatorial campaigns) are: A.G. Spanos , $877,450; Sam Fox, $831,733; Kenneth Lay, $574,550; Tom Loeffler, $495,424; and, Louis A. Beecherl, Jr., $446,350.


Among the 212 Pioneers, the top overall contributors to Bush’s gubernatorial campaigns are: Charles J. Wyly, Jr., $210,273; Dennis R. Berman, $175,000; Louis A. Beecherl, Jr., $154,000; Tom Loeffler, $141,000; and, Richard Heath, $124,449.


Eighty-four companies controlled by or employing these 212 individuals contributed an additional $21 million in soft money contributions to political party committees since the ’96 election cycle, $15.5 million to the Republicans, $5.5 million to the Democrats.


Like their companies, 73 of the individual Pioneers also support candidates of both parties. These 73 Pioneers gave Democrats a total of $390,000 in hard and soft money since the ’96 election cycle. The biggest Pioneer givers to Democrats are: Robert Day, Jr., $45,420; Kenneth Lay, $39,000; Randall D. Hubbard, $20,000; Larry Ruvo, $15,000; and Joseph C. Canizaro, $14,750.


Lawyers and lobbyists lead the Pioneer pack when the 212 are identified by their primary economic interest or profession. Forty-four of the Pioneers are classified as Lawyers & Lobbyists, 38 represent the Financial sector, 28 are from the Energy & Natural Resources sector (dominated by oil and gas), 24 are from the Real Estate sector, and 23 represent Miscellaneous Businesses.


Sixty-six of the Pioneers hail from Texas. The other Bush state, Florida, claims the next largest batch with 21. California has produced 14 and Michigan 12. No other state is in the double-digits.
“The Pioneer network is the embodiment of special interests,” said Andrew Wheat, a report author. “Pioneers give big money to get special favors from government, usually at the expense of the rest of us.”
The Bush Pioneers in all likelihood may have delivered much more than $100,000 each. But Bush’s campaign—which painstakingly tracks the amount of money raised by each Pioneer and even by each industry—refuses to make this information public. Similarly, the only Pioneers that the campaign has outed are those whom the campaign says already have delivered the requisite minimum of $100,000 apiece. Back in July 1999, Pioneer coordinator Jim Francis said that almost 400 individuals had taken the Pioneer pledge. Bush, who views disclosure as the cure to all that ails the campaign finance system, will not say how many individuals are being tracked and how much each has bundled for the campaign.

The Bush Pioneer report is available at Texans for Public Justice’s website: http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/.



# # #

Texans for Public Justice is non-profit, non-partisan research and advocacy group that tracks money in Texas politics.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Highlander

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 04:38 pm Click here to edit this post
Curtis Hebert Jr., a former commissioner with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the Clinton administration, said in an interview with CNN: "Everything they espoused to Congress and to state leaders was always what's in the best interests of Enron, never what's in the best interests of American energy companies."

Hebert, who also served as FERC chairman in the Bush administration until he left the agency in August, said Lay had wanted the agency to "mandate regional transmission organizations."

"When I told him that I didn't think it was the right thing to do and also that there was no legal basis for it under the federal Power Act, he told me that he and his company, Enron, could no longer support me as chairman," Hebert said.

Highlander

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 - 08:13 pm Click here to edit this post
Enron and the Gramms
By BOB HERBERT

hen Senator Phil Gramm and his wife Wendy danced, it was most often to Enron's tune.

Mr. Gramm, a Texas Republican, is one of the top recipients of Enron largess in the Senate. And he is a demon for deregulation. In December 2000 Mr. Gramm was one of the ringleaders who engineered the stealthlike approval of a bill that exempted energy commodity trading from government regulation and public disclosure. It was a gift tied with a bright ribbon for Enron.

Wendy Gramm has been influential in her own right. She, too, is a demon for deregulation. She headed the presidential Task Force on Regulatory Relief in the Reagan administration. And she was chairwoman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 1988 until 1993.

In her final days with the commission she helped push through a ruling that exempted many energy futures contracts from regulation, a move that had been sought by Enron. Five weeks later, after resigning from the commission, Wendy Gramm was appointed to Enron's board of directors.

According to a report by Public Citizen, a watchdog group in Washington, "Enron paid her between $915,000 and $1.85 million in salary, attendance fees, stock options and dividends from 1993 to 2001."

As a board member, Ms. Gramm has served on Enron's audit committee, but her eyesight wasn't any better than that of the folks at Arthur Andersen. The one thing Enron did not pay big bucks for was vigilance.

There's a lot more you can say about the Gramms and Enron, and not much of it good. But Phil and Wendy Gramm are just convenient symptoms of the problem that has contributed so mightily to the Enron debacle and other major scandals of our time, from the savings and loan disaster to the Firestone tires fiasco. That problem is the obsession with deregulation that has had such a hold on the Republican Party and corporate America.

An article in yesterday's Times noted the extensive links between Enron and the powerful Texas congressman Tom DeLay. Mr. DeLay became unhappy when Enron wooed a Democrat — a senior treasury official in the Clinton administration — to run its Washington office. "Still," the article said, "whatever the tensions last year, Mr. DeLay and Enron had a natural alliance. In his days in the Texas Capitol, Mr. DeLay was called Dereg by some because of his support of business. And in Congress he has been a longtime proponent of energy deregulation, an issue dear to Enron."

Enron exploited the deregulation mania to the max, and the result has been economic ruin for thousands upon thousands of hard-working families. As Public Citizen put it, "Enron developed mutually beneficial relationships with federal regulators and lawmakers to support policies that significantly curtailed government oversight of [its] operations."

The kind of madness that went on at Enron could only have flourished in the dark. Arthur Andersen was supposed to have been looking at the books, but the vast shadows cast by the ideology of deregulation allowed that company to escape effective scrutiny as well. So you have revolving-door abuses and pernicious financial arrangements between companies like Enron and auditors like Andersen that are similar to those between private companies and government agencies.

Who's left to look out for the small fry?

If the deregulation zealots had their way, we'd be left with tainted food, unsafe cars, bridges collapsing into rivers, children's pajamas bursting into flames and a host of corporations far more rapacious and unscrupulous than they are now.

Enron manipulated the energy markets and cooked its own books in ways that would not have been possible if its operations had had a reasonable degree of transparency. But Enron operated in what has been widely characterized as a "black hole" that left competitors and others asking such basic questions as how the company made its money.

How long will it take? How many decades and how many scandals have to come and go before we catch on? We're human. We're self-interested. And when left to our own devices, some of us will do the wrong thing.

Some perspective is needed. Unchecked deregulation is an express route to chaos and tragedy. Where the public interest is involved, a certain amount of oversight — effective oversight — is essential.

Highlander

Thursday, January 17, 2002 - 09:20 am Click here to edit this post
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The latest word in the growing scandal around Enron Corp: the former energy-trading giant paid no income taxes in four out of the past five years.

The New York Times reported Thursday that Enron used almost 900 subsidiaries in tax-haven countries to avoid paying taxes.

While the use of overseas tax havens by U.S. companies is not unusual, the newspaper, citing tax experts, said Enron made use of the technique far more often than other companies.

The report noted that two Enron subsidiaries have been accused by a group of insurers of engaging in fake transactions in a tax haven, according to filings with the federal bankruptcy court in New York.

Meanwhile, a separate report said Enron accountant Arthur Andersen raised questions about Enron's accounting practices and potential conflicts of interest nearly a year ago.

The Wall Street Journal said that Andersen officials discussed the matters at a February 2001 meeting called to decide whether to retain Enron as a client. Andersen officials ultimately decided not to drop Enron.

The report said Andersen had a big financial incentive to keep Enron, which paid the accounting firm $52 million in fees in 2000 alone.

Enron is being investigated by the Justice Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission and several panels in Congress after it filed for bankruptcy last month, the biggest filing ever in the United States.

Thousands of Enron employees lost their jobs and many more lost much of their life savings as Enron stock in their 401(k) plans became nearly worthless.

Enron collapsed as debts hidden in off-the-books partnership took their toll and forced the company to reduce reported earnings by about $600 million in recent years. The company has been one of the biggest contributors to President Bush and other politicians, and its executives sold about $1.1 billion of stock in 2000 and last year, even as the company's troubles were mounting.

Twiggyish

Thursday, January 17, 2002 - 09:23 am Click here to edit this post
I just wonder if all this is the tip of the iceberg. It just keeps getting worse.

Highlander

Thursday, January 17, 2002 - 09:25 am Click here to edit this post
This is a gem. Lots of pols sweating in Washington.

Legislators Rush to Dump Enron Money
_____Recent Articles_____

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 17, 2002; Page A01


Until a few weeks ago, Enron Corp. ranked among the biggest contributors to lawmakers and campaign committees of both parties. But now that the Houston-based firm is considered politically radioactive, members of Congress and party officials are devising ways to give away hundreds of thousands of dollars in Enron donations to distance themselves from the company's woes.

The Republican Party's three major campaign committees are dumping the biggest chunk of Enron donations -- at least $280,000 altogether. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, meanwhile, says it will give $100,000 in Enron "soft money" donations to charities helping former Enron employees.

Numerous House and Senate members also say they will divest themselves of Enron contributions. Many are trying to determine the most credible of the charitable groups providing support to displaced Enron employees. The retirement funds of many workers evaporated as Enron's stock price plummeted.

Among the quickest to sever their financial links to Enron are those facing tough campaigns this year. They include Sens. Jean Carnahan (D-Mo.), Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.) and Tim Johnson (D-S.D.). They are returning, or giving to charity, amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,200. Sen. Gordon H. Smith (R-Ore.) said he will give away the $8,100 in Enron donations he had received since 1997.

The top House Democrat, Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, recently said the $1,000 that Enron donated to his Democratic Leadership Fund will go to the St. Louis Children's Hospital.

"We just felt like we wanted to give it to charity because there are so many problems surrounding Enron now," a Gephardt spokesman told reporters.

Some prominent lawmakers say they will not give away Enron donations. They include Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is investigating Enron, and Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.). Rejecting Enron's contributions, they say, would amount to an admission that the money was accepted unethically.

"We expect people to contribute to Billy's campaigns because they share his beliefs and goals," said Tauzin spokesman Ken Johnson. "If they contribute in hopes of influencing him, or buying access, then tough luck."

Tauzin accepted money from Ford and Firestone, Johnson said, and when his committee investigated the companies' roles in Ford Explorer accidents, "we took them to the woodshed."

DeLay spokesman Stuart Roy said giving back the money would suggest that donors to DeLay's campaigns are "getting something in return," and "we do not want to imply that."

Still, political nervousness about Enron's collapse may spread. Some politicians are wondering aloud whether to give back donations from Arthur Andersen LLP, the accounting firm under investigation for its role in Enron's collapse.

"There is going to be a very thorough investigation" of Arthur Andersen, said Steve Schmidt, communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which received at least $60,000 in soft money contributions from the accounting firm in 2001. "We will wait to see how this story develops before we make any decision."

Some officials of the Republican National Committee voiced concern that adding Andersen to the watch list could lead to a "slippery slope." The RNC has returned to Enron $80,500 in soft money. Arthur Andersen gave at least $33,000 in soft money to the RNC last year.

Rep. Constance A. Morella (R-Md.) said she will give the $1,000 she received last year from ArthurAndersen to whatever fund is best prepared to help displaced Enron employees.

Rep. Ken Bentsen (D-Tex.), who is running for the Senate, says he is looking into which of the charitable groups being set up in Houston for Enron ex-employees is most trustworthy. He plans to give away the money he has received from Enron, but a spokesman said he is undecided about the $5,000 he got last year from Arthur Andersen.

Other congressional members who say they will unload Enron donations include:

• Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.). He plans to give his $1,000 in Enron donations to a charity helping Enron workers. "We fully intend to follow the lead of our national Republican campaign committee chairman [Rep. Tom Davis (Va.)] and return that money to the displaced workers' fund down there," said Forbes spokesman Greg Thomas.

• Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio). A spokeswoman said Pryce plans to turn over all contributions from Enron to "help employees who were adversely affected."

• The Hill, a newspaper covering Congress, reported that two Republican senators, Mike Enzi (Wyo.) and John W. Warner (Va.), also returned Enron contributions -- $3,500 from Enzi and $277 from Warner.

Highlander

Thursday, January 17, 2002 - 09:37 am Click here to edit this post
Story is a little different in Houston. from the Houston Chronicle:


AUSTIN -- Enron Corp. has been a generous benefactor to Texas politicians and most intend to keep the money, despite the company's collapse that cost 4,500 people their jobs and many more their retirement savings.

Since 1989, Enron has given more than $900,000 to statewide candidates and Houston's congressional delegation. The figure does not include the numerous donations made to state legislators or to lower-profile offices such as the Houston City Council.

Nationally, Enron donated nearly $6 million to hundreds of candidates since 1990. About three-quarters of the money went to Republican candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Most Texas politicians said they do not intend to return the money, and their explanations for their decisions vary. Some say they've already spent the money. Others say the money came from Enron's rank-and-file employees, not the company or its top officials.

"These contributions were legal and legitimate contributions from individuals, and he doesn't intend to return them," said Kathy Walt, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry, who received $212,000 from Enron, including a $25,000 donation from CEO Ken Lay in June.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Morales plans to return the money he received from Enron during his previous campaigns for state attorney general. Morales said he last received a contribution from the Enron political action committee in 1994. Morales said the contribution was either $2,500 or $5,000.

"We will give it back to the bankruptcy trustee so it can be used by the employees," Morales said.

Laredo businessman Tony Sanchez, who is challenging Morales in the Democratic Primary, has not received contributions from Enron.

Sanchez spokesman Glenn Smith said Perry should join Morales in returning Enron money.

Since 1989, Enron -- through Lay, other top officials or its political action committee -- donated $329,250 to Republican Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Phil Gramm and to the seven congressional members who represent portions of Harris County, according to the center.

Of that amount, only $8,750 has been pledged toward relief efforts for former Enron employees who lost their jobs and their 401(k) retirement accounts, which were laden with Enron stock.

Hutchison has said she will donate to an employee fund any Enron money remaining in her campaign account.

The Center for Responsive Politics said Hutchison received $99,500 from Enron. Spokeswoman Lisette Mondello said the senator is still researching how much she accepted from Enron.

Gramm spokesman Larry Neal said the outgoing senator has returned more than $275,000 raised for a re-election bid he is no longer seeking but he could not say how much of that came from Enron employees or the company's political action committee.

"We have no way of separating it out," said Neal. He said money contributed to past campaigns will not be returned.

Of state office candidates, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander, a Republican, said she will return $71,500 she received from Enron.

"(Rylander) has instructed staff that if there is a vehicle set up to benefit Enron employees, that's where the money will go, but she hasn't found one yet," said spokesman Mark Sanders.

Rylander received $25,000 from Lay in June.

Republican Texas Attorney General John Cornyn, who recused himself last week from the state's investigation of Enron, said he intends to keep the $193,000 he received from Enron. Spokesman Dave Beckwith said Cornyn has not received any donations from Enron for his race to replace Gramm in the U.S. Senate.

Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Greg Abbott, who is running as a Republican for Texas Attorney General, has returned $12,600 he received from Lay, Enron's political action committee and employees while he was on the bench from 1995 to 1998. He has not received anything from Enron since then.

Supreme Court Justice Wallace Jefferson returned two $100 checks he received from the Enron PAC. Justice Xavier Rodriguez received a $1,000 contribution pledge from Enron but never received the money.

None of the remaining justices said they intend to return contributions received in past campaigns. The contributions include $33,908 for Harriet O'Neill, $25,000 to Nathan Hecht, $12,250 to Chief Justice Tom Phillips, $8,600 to Priscilla Owen, $7,000 to Deborah Hankinson, $6,000 to Craig Enoch and $4,600 to James Baker, according to Texans for Public Justice.

Former Comptroller John Sharp, a Democrat running for lieutenant governor, said he will return the $7,500 he received from Enron. His Republican opponent, Land Commissioner David Dewhurst, said he too will return the $2,000 he has received from Enron since 1998.

Only one Houston congressman said he will return every penny he received from Enron. Two others said they plan to return recent contributions totaling $3,000.

"I'm more than happy to put that into a fund that would help build up a 401(k) for the employees," said U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, of the $5,750 he has received from Enron.

Of Houston's congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Ken Bentsen, who is running as a Democrat for Gramm's Senate seat, received the most money from Enron.

Bentsen has received $42,700 from Enron through its PAC and individual contributions. Of that amount, Bentsen said he plans to return $2,000 received during the current election cycle. He said his staff is searching for a fund for former Enron employees where he can send the money.

Bentsen said he can't give back more money.

"It would be one thing if you just carried huge campaign balances from one election to the next; that's not the case," Bentsen said. "We spend all the money we raise and sometimes we go into debt."

Bentsen also said the bulk of the money came from Enron employees, many of whom are in his district, who either contributed or worked for him in past campaigns. Bentsen also said the contributions were made long before Enron's fall.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, also said she will donate Enron's most recent contribution of $1,000 to an employee relief fund. Jackson Lee has received $38,000 from Enron since 1989 when she was on the Houston City Council.

Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, received $27,900 from Enron. He does not plan to return it. Nor do the other Republicans from the Houston area's delegation to Congress. Reps. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, and John Culberson, R-Houston, each have received $13,000.

"At this point I do not plan to return the (contributions) that Enron gave to me because it came from its employees through their political action committee," Culberson said.

Nick Lampson, D-Beaumont, has received $4,000. His office did not return phone calls.