Lay guilty on all charges; Skilling guilty on charges 1 - 35.

[Fridays Child]

CNN breaking...

Still waiting on the insider trading charges against Skilling.


Edit:

Now, they're saying Lay also guilty on all bench trial charges, which were litigated separately from the charges that the jury heard.

Skilling not guilty on insider trading charges.

Edit again: Skilling guilty on one insider trading charge.

[MADem]

1. Justice in America!!! At least, until the PARDON! n.t

[Kikosexy2]

28. Will Chimpie...

still remember his "good friend" Kenny Boy?

[Zorra]

82. I'd say the odds are 100:1 that Bu*h wil pardon his good friend Kenny-

boy.

Kenny is a made guy, and Bu*h owes him big time.

[Jack from Charlotte]

103. NBC defense lawyer estimate... 20 or 25 years each. Remember, on Federal..

convictions one serves about 80% to 90% of the sentence. These mofos could die in prison.

Of course, the AWOL/moron will probably pardon them.

[Cha]

166. But, but, but,

kenny-boy said "God has blessed him"! What the hell did he mean by that? Are those just empty words?

[MADem]

197. GOD is his pet name for the Pardoning Monkey, ya see n/t

[Hepburn]

215. IMO...

...the asshole is probably referring to the money he got away with.

[Kikosexy2]

113. And if Bushie ...

doesn't pardon...will Kenny Boy sing like a bird about Bushie's dubious connections with Kenny Boy or will Bushie order the shanking of Kenny Boy when he's in prison?

[MADem]

125. I'm guessing an IMMEDIATE appeal will be filed

His lawyers will try to keep him out of jail during the appeals process. They'll stall until after the 08 elections, and Lay will stroll away with a freshly signed pardon like Cap Weinberger did. And of course, everyone will not mention Cap, they'll mention Marc Rich....because CLINTON pardoned that guy, ya see!

[Jack from Charlotte]

147. Done. Out on bond pending appeal. (nt)

*

[Dulcinea]

173. I hope they had to surrender their passports!

Or they're off to the Cayman Islands, where all their assets are hidden.

[NewJeffCT]

158. you sound as cynical as me...

But, I'm guessing you are correct.

[The Doctor.]

196. I was curious about the whole Marc Rich thing...

What did he do?

I should like to send an Email out to all my Clinton-hating family members asking them if they are angry at the pardon of Marc Rich and thought Clinton was abusing his power by letting a Criminal go free.

Then of course I'll tell them that history is about to repeat itself... only with a much bigger asshole.

[MADem]

200. These links are very quick and dirty, but it gets the main jist across

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Rich
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3071886 /
It's not like he got off scott-free, either. I'll bet if Ken Lay made FULL restitution, people wouldn't mind if he got a deferred sentence or probation, or a pardon, so much.

There are some who aver that he was pardoned, not for his ex-wife's active and generous role in politics (she wanted her children's father to retain his freedom) but because he was a US or possibly allied intelligence asset. It was interesting that many very high-level Israeli officials were also lobbying hard for his pardon. He has a file at CIA that Congress asked for, but they refused to hand it over. Beyond that, who really knows what the full story was.

[The Doctor.]

214. Cool... thanks! n/t

[FighttheFuture]

222. He can't make full restitution... the $60+ Billion Mkt Cap Enron lost...

is beyond Kenny Boy's ability, although not of the ability of the current criminals in Bu$hitCo with all the money looted from our treasury!!

[American liberal]

235. I can only hope that part of sentencing is that those bastards have to

liquidate EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING to make restitution to those poor people they screwed out of virtually their entire retirement funds. Screw incarceration. Hit 'em where it would REALLY hurt. Clean 'em out!

[unda cova brutha]

193. but if bush is impeeched he cant pardon lay.

all the more reason to push for impeechment.

[MADem]

202. Oh yes he can!

Impeachment happens in the House, followed by TRIAL in the Senate.

If he does a Senate nose count following impeachment, and knows that he'll go down in flames, he can sign out a pardon, and then resign (the more likely option) or go face the music at trial.

[Centered]

208. Hurray!!

What about restitution? A lot of people lost everything because of these guys!!!

[MADem]

213. He doesn't have the cash, hell, his lawyers tried to take back

a university endowment so he could pay his legal fees. Looks like Linda's gonna have to sell more furniture, on EBAY, since she sold her stupid store!

[MADem]

131. Of course, right after the 08 elections! n/t

[ecoalex]

102. Fucker was the cheif Western electricity fraud cheerleader with shrub

[The Backlash Cometh]

104. LOL! I would put money on your prediction being the right one.

[SharonRB]

195. Exactly my first thoughts

[ElboRuum]

220. If Dubya pardons him...

The Republican Party is finished... For my money, I hope he DOES pardon him for just that reason.

[susanna]

246. Sadly enough, that was my first thought...

as my husband's "he's pardoned," said he. And I knew that is the most likely outcome. I heartily wonder if the GOP will make such a huge uproar over Lay's pardon, like they did Clinton's pardon of that one guy--can't even remember his name. (Probably because he didn't take away the pension of many Americans to line his own pockets?)

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. Couldn't happen to a better pair of motherfuckers. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

16. Exactly what came to mind when i read it. n/t

[peacetalksforall]

3. Friday's Child You're ahead of MSNBC. ... n/t

[Courtesy Flush]

4. And Yahoo

I saw the headline saying that the verdict hadn't been announced, and said "I bet it's on DU though"

I hate it when news stories are 15 minutes out of date.

[sierrajim]

5. Skilling GUILTY on fraud and conspiracy

Dupe My fingers wernt fast enough

[Jack from Charlotte]

6. Skilling guilty on 19 counts, so far... according to Abrams at MSNBC. (nt)

*

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

184. Abrams got off his rape speil to mention that?...

... i have lost nearly all respect for Abrams, everytime i see him on msnbc he is talking about raped chicks.

[0007]

198. Abrams does indeed suck.

Now they appeal and wait for junior's pardon.

We're so screwed!!

[Beelzebud]

7. Ken Lay guilty on ALL counts!

[Jack from Charlotte]

24. He was also just announced GUILTY..on the other trial. Bank Fraud...

This was from the other trial heard by the judge. No jury.

[mvd]

8. Looks like ALL charges

Finally! I couldn't believe Martha Stewart was in jail but not Lay.

[derby378]

9. "The Smartest Guys In The Room" - not smart enough to evade justice

I feel a little sorry for Skilling, but they both brought this on themselves.

[Jack from Charlotte]

12. Think the news shows Bush saying..... "hey, Kenny-boy." tonight? (nt)

*

[LeftNYC]

14. why do you feel bad for Skilling? nt

[derby378]

85. A brilliant man, but so much wasted potential

He could have used his passion and intelligence for much nobler goals and dreams. Instead, he was complicit in the bilking of California and the destruction of so many professional careers.

[LeftNYC]

97. Oh ok, I thought you meant on this case that he was somehow

railroaded while at Enron. Remember Lay at his Harvard(I think) interview said "Im not smart, Im fucking smart" Asshole.

[MurrayDelph]

188. So what you are saying is:

"If only he'd used his powers for niceness instead of evil"?

[Critters2]

17. Skilling's brother Tom

is the local weather guy on WGN in Chicago. He's been insisting his brother is innocent. Tom seems like a nice guy. He'll probably be devastated by this. That's a shame, but I do think Jeff Skilling brought this on himself.

[WhiteTara]

sorry for Skilling?

that little craqp weasel thief? He helped jerk California around and created an incredible debt for the state and made our lives miserable.

[derby378]

90. I know - see post #85

He also took a big emotional hit when his best friend, Cliff Baxter, killed himself as a result of the Enron debacle. I think Skilling was losing it piece by piece.

[Zan_of_Texas]

151. Skilling is a weasel at best. Smart, yeah. But evil.

Skilling came out and told the assembled media and crowd after the jury's verdict that he is innocent.

Pullease.

I do not feel one iota of sorry for Skilling. A young woman who babysat for him before Enron went down came home and told her father, "Daddy, that man is evil."

How do I know this? I spoke with the babysitter's father. He also said everyone in the neighborhood knew Skilling was having an affair at that time, everyone except his wife. (He has since divorced her.)

I think that whole business about Cliff Baxter's death affecting Skilling was an act. Give him an Emmy.

Now, send these two to jail.

I can't believe it will take from May to September to decide their sentences. Take them in shackles now.

Judge did require Lay's passport to be given up today. Skilling's was already surrendered several years ago.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

165. Which probably contributed in no small part to Schwarzenegger . . .

getting elected.

[derby378]

179. DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!

We have a WINNER!!!!

[WhiteTara]

218. with the help of Diebold, yep it did

There was that meeting in May with Kenny Boy and the Boobengroper that set the thing in motion. I hope that Boobengroper goes down too.

[klook]

226. Smartest Guys on the Cell Block

I don't feel a bit sorry for either one of these lying, cheating bastards. They screwed thousands out of millions.

And never let it be forgotten what big pals of the Bush clan Lay was, all during the crimes.

[myrna minx]

10. WhoooHooo!

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

11. When will the MSM start calling him the presidents pal, Ken Lay?

the presidents pal, Ken Lay?
the presidents pal, Ken Lay?
the presidents pal, Ken Lay?
the presidents pal, Ken Lay?
the presidents pal, Ken Lay?

[Beelzebud]

20. They won't...

Because they're shills.

And to make it worse, Bush will probably give some dumb asses speech about how HIS justice department convicted these evil-doers.

Don't mean to inject some pessemism into this great afternoon, but you know that is how they'll try to spin this.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

94. We can help them out. A simple 'Ken Lay George w Bush' Google search

is all that is needed.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-...

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

SNIP:
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.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

217. "It's got the heigth and the distance...outta here!"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration and U.S. lawmakers said on Thursday the guilty verdicts against former Enron Corp. chief executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling sent a strong message on corporate corruption.

"We congratulate the (U.S.) Justice Department on successfully concluding a highly complex legal proceeding that led to the convictions," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[tinfoilinfor2005]

221. I don't know...

"Bush will probably give some dumb asses speech about how HIS justice department convicted these evil-doers."

If he does that, then he why would he pardon them? And I'm sure Kenny Boy is counting on a pardon.

[progressivebydesign]

13. "Mr. Lay?, I barely new him!"... sweet!

Bastards. they not only bilked so many out of their life savings, and screwed their employees, they also created the energy crisis in the western states leading to the downfall of Gray Davis and the installation of the Gropinator. Their crimes created a ripple effect. Bush will pardon those assholes... trust me.

[rudy23]

15. I feel like this is the first good news I've heard in 6 years n/t

[spunky]

18. Huzzah! eom

[ananda]

The commentator said they'll each do decades of time!

Whoa!

[warrens]

19. When bad things happen to bad people

It's a goooooood day.

[Greylyn58]

21. Finally some measure of justice for

for anyone who have been hurt by these greedy, money-grubbing bastards.

It's about freaking time!!!!

[bunny planet]

22. Can somebody dig up pics of Bubble Boy with his pal Kenny Lay.

to accompany the soundbites of Jr. saying he doesn't know him very well.

[wicket]

Here's one:

[NYC]

190. Can you come up with a copy of the letter Bush wrote

that mentioned Linda Lay's birthday?

I can't find it.

[wicket]

204. Is this the one you mean:

Check out the Smoking Gun archive- they have EVERYTHING. And I have a feeling these will come in handy in the coming days

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

[NYC]

206. That's the one. Thank you very much.

We'll all be needing copies of this to remind people of reality when Bush says he didn't know Lay.

Thank you!

[wicket]

210. No problem, glad to help!

That Smoking Gun Archive is a treasure trove

[LuckyLib]

229. And isn't that just a classic example of a "Good Ole Boy" missive

to a close friend? Texas deserved everything it got. Only problem is, the Ole Boys gave him to the rest of us!

[NYC]

231. A lot of those letters are starting to come out.

That's good.

Welcome to DU.

[Lib Grrrrl]

23. WooooHooooooo!!!

How soon till we get to see the rotten asshole dragged out in leg irons??

I hope the order Lay to make restitution and reparations to all the people whose lives he fucked up!!

[WhiteTara]

25. this is just soooo GREAT!!!

I have been watching this since he came to the WH to ruin our energy systems and this is really good news. Only news that is better is that Heartless Dick will have to go on the stand in Libby trial. That should really cook his nasty goose.
YEAH!!

[DemoTex]

26. As a former employee of Mr. Lay, let me say ....

YES!!!. Let the perp-walk of the Fat Bastards begin.

Mac

[LeftNYC]

78. Im sure there are a lot of former Enron employees who feel

like you. You should call CNN and try to get on. They are going to interview former Enron people. You can remind them of their ties to Bush.

[farmbo]

83. He should write a tell-all book in prison to help re-fund your pensions.

Hell...I'd buy it if it fingers Cheney on being in on the California "energy crisis."

Let him have 10 years off his sentence if he comes clean.

[DemoTex]

146. I worked for Lay pre-Enron.

Lay was president of Transco (Transcontinental Gas Pipeline) in Houston and I was a corporate pilot for him there (Learjet 55 and Lockheed JetStar II). He didn't get my pension. Dave Siegel at US Airways stole my pension on 3/31/2003.

[farmbo]

156. Don't feel bad...my buddy flies for United and they stole his too.

eom

[EarlG]

27. Looks like it might be time to bust this out again

http://www.cafepress.com/du_store/592625

[liberalnurse]

79. It should be a big seller!

Time to spread the word.....connect the dots America.

[Fridays Child]

29. May this day mark the beginning of a long line of bushista frog marches!

[Julius Civitatus]

30. Countdown to the PRESIDENTIAL PARDONS

You can bet they'll get them.

[Caution]

I'll take that bet. It ain't gonna happen.

Those two guys are radioactive.

[Julius Civitatus]

89. Bush never cared what the country thought about anything

he'll give the pardon anyway. It's not like the media ever pressed Bush and his cronies for anything they've fucked up. Look here, another blonde woman missing...

These are the same motherfuckers that wanted to give no-bid contracts to run the US ports to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates.

These are the same bastards who didn't give two shits about public opinion, laws, or the rule of law during 6 years in power. And they came out of all of this unscathed. Still in power, and still getting away with everything.

Do you think they'll wonder what the rest of us peasants would think when Bush gives his pals Kenny-boy and Skillings generous pardons? That's a big NO!

[Caution]

106. I'll bet a $50 donation in your name vs $20 in my name

that Bush does NOT pardon either one of them.

If either one is pardoned by Bush I will donate $50 to DU in your username, if neither is pardoned you donate $20 to DU in my username.

[NYC]

What about a last minute pardon?

Do you think Bush won't pardon Lay during Bush's last week in office?

(I certainly hope you are correct, but what would Bush lose doing it on his way out the door?)

[Caution]

227. Any chance of his brother ever becoming President

Yes. I'm betting that Bush will NOT pardon either Enron scumbag.

[NYC]

230. Okay, you give me hope.

I sincerely hope you are right.

[progressivebydesign]

127. My guess is that they won't see prison time, and Bush will pardon

But on his way out.. they'll keep postponing appeals, and they'll be free or house arrest during appeals, long enuff for Bush to pardon on his way out.

[coalition_unwilling]

160. Ford's pardon of Nixon probably cost Ford the '76 election. I would

say that a Bush pardon of Lay and\or Skilling would mean the end of the Republican party as we know it and would allow for a Democratic resurgence similar to what happened in 1932.

[KaptBunnyPants]

201. Would be nice, but...

everyone who knows enough about Enron to hate these guys already hates Bush. Remember, you live in a country with such a broken media that the American public actually thinks Abramoff's bribery is a bipartisan scandal. Bush will pardon these two, and most Americans will probably never even hear about it.

[Nictuku]

31. WooT!!!

[banana republican]

32. justice grinds very slowly

but it ginds exceedingly fine...

[katinmn]

33. Will they lead him away like this? :-)

[Critters2]

167. I want to see him in an orange jump suit

Just once. That would make me happy.

[swag]

34. Enron jury has reached a verdict -- CNBC

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%...

By Carolyn Pritchard
Last Update: 11:11 AM ET May 25, 2006


SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The jury in the fraud and conspiracy case against former Enron chiefs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling has reached a verdict, CNBC reported Thursday. The jury is reportedly set to read the verdict at 12 noon ET.

[saigon68]

35. Guess we'll wait to see what's behind door #2

[swag]

38. My right-click finger is probably too itchy.

Maybe from holding it up to people for all these years.

[Jack from Charlotte]

72. Lay guilty on ALL counts according to NBC. (nt)

*

[skypilot]

36. So, at 12:00 noon we'll know once and for all...

...if there's any chance of justice prevailing in this country ever again. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[tridim]

44. And even if justice does prevail at noon

"Kenny Boy Who?" will be added to his buddy's pardon list before 1:00pm.

[skypilot]

56. Before 1:00pm??

I'm thinking more like 11:59am.

[TahitiNut]

47. "once"? Yes. "for all"? Nope. Appeal, appeal, appeal.

These well-connected corporatists can appeal any guilty verdict almost endlessly. There's also the possibility of commutation of sentence - or sentence reduction. Wealthy people just don't bear the burdens that 'ordinary' people bear.

[skypilot]

53. Sad but true.

You're right. This will probably be only the beginning of something rather than the end.

[howmad1]

162. Maybe someone should plant......

....a couple of ounces of marijuana on Kenny Boy. That will surely get him 10 - 20 years in the pokey, with no chance of appeal. Happens everyday in the good ole' US of A.

[Scout1071]

37. What say ye? GUILTY.

Anything else less would be unthinkable.

[Jeanette in FL]

39. It took awhile for the jury to reach a verdict

I wonder what was the holdup. I am glad that the MSM is finally going to cover this.

After all the celebrity trial they have covered in the past, hardly a word was mentioned of this one.

[Bridget Burke]

45. This case is pretty complicated.

It wasn't just a question of "Is Ken Lay a scumbag?" Testimony wasn't very sexy & no cameras were allowed in the courtroom.

Nevertheless, the street in front of the Federal Building is crammed with media vans.

[Jeanette in FL]

50. Thank you for your response

I didn't realize that they had combined so many charges together in this one case.

So then 4-5 days of jury deliberation isn't that long after all?

[babylonsister]

40. I can't wait! I hope all those Enron employees are vindicated!

Thanks, swag!

[hippiechick]

41. If they're 'not guilty' ... can there be a class action civil suit?

On behalf of all the folks who got bamboozled?

[babylonsister]

49. I honestly don't know, but wouldn't bet the house that those

suits haven't either already been filed or are waiting for the outcome of this.
People lost their homes, their savings, their jobs, everything!

[Lasher]

55. OJ was found not guilty in the criminal trial but lost the civil case

So I guess the answer is yes.

I wish these trials didn't take so long. After so much time passes it all seems somewhat abstract, if and when justice finally prevails.

[Voltaire]

58. There sure can be

I think folks could and should pursue a civil action whether or not they are guilty in the criminal action. In other words. . .

BURY THEM UNDER THE FUCKING JAIL

[kestrel91316]

59. Kenny Boy no doubt has all his assets hidden offshore, and once the

lawsuits are filed he will declare bankruptcy and walk away with his money safely tucked out of reach.

[Zan_of_Texas]

181. Kenny Boy said on the witness chair he has

negative net worth.

I don't believe that. Any more than I believed Linda Lay (coached by a PR person) when she said on the Today Show after the bankruptcy that their money was all gone.

Based on my detailed research, I believe he hid at least some of it in real estate holdings in other names, and in family members' names.

He took home around $275 million from Enron in its last three years before it imploded.

Think about how much money he would have had to spend to lose all that -- $250,000 every day for 3 years.

If he somehow managed to fritter away 99.5% of $275M, and retained one half of one percent of all that, he would still have $1.3 million. That amount would take an average American household 30+ years to make.

[The Deacon]

43. Before we get too excited:

Let's not forget the State motto: "Texas, the Best Justice Money Can Buy."

[wicket]

42. Ol' Kenny Boy

\m/

[Tight_rope]

46. I hope there's been no jury tampering...

[yellowcanine]

48. Wow - how long did they deliberate? I think Kenny boy is going down.

There is no way they were going to quickly acquit him so I think this is bad news for Kenny Boy.

[babylonsister]

51. I think 5 or 6 days, not long in the scheme of things considering

what's at stake.

[swag]

52. 31 hours over five days

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

This is also interesting:

Lay also is awaiting a verdict in a separate bank-fraud case, which was tried before Lake without a jury during the first three full days of deliberations in the conspiracy case.

Lake has said he will announce his verdict in the bank case after the jury in the conspiracy case renders its decision. Lay faces one count of bank fraud and three counts of making false statements to banks regarding his use of personal loans to buy stock. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

[yellowcanine]

61. For a complex white collar crime case that is not much. Bad news for

Kenny Boy. The best he could have hoped for, imo, was a long drawn out deliberation ending in a hung jury or conviction of some minor charge.

[lonestarnot]

54. OOOh Yeah babee. What time is it?

[swag]

57. T-minus 29 minutes

[lonestarnot]

62. Thanks swag.

[Robbien]

60. CNBC pundit said too bad the public has lost interest in the case

Wrong

The media has lost interest in the case. They would rather chase after missing blond women. Anyone interested in trying to follow the Enron case on televised news was sure to be frustrated.

[lonestarnot]

63. Long wong WRONG!

[schrodingers_cat]

118. You can bet your sweet *ss that it's getting good local coverage

here in California - the SH*T those %$*#@&$%s put us through with the uncontrolled price gouging and rolling blackouts....I wish thier former employees well in collecting any and all damages against these criminals in civil court.

[UpInArms]

64. GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY!

12:02 PM ET 5/25/06 ENRON JURY FINDS SKILLING GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY: CNBC

[CornField]

65. Lay guilty on all charges

[swag]

66. Guilty verdicts rolling in against both Lay and Skilling.

Lots of counts to go.

[mvd]

68. Yea!

There's some justice!

[UpInArms]

69. GUILTY OF 2 WIRE FRAUD COUNTS!

12:04 PM ET 5/25/06 ENRON JURY FINDS LAY GUILTY OF 2 WIRE FRAUD COUNTS :CNBC

[MaineDem]

77. I fear a Bush pardon

[Robbien]

67. Guilty of Conspiracy, Guilty of wire fraud charges

Guilty, Guilty, Guilty!
So says CNBC

[Sadie5]

75. Guilty as charged

I can't believe it would be any other way. The Judge should order that Skilling and Lay give up every asset they own and repay those who lost their retirements. Then they would be poor and living on the streets as it should be. This would be a taste of their own medicine.

[Raster]

70. skilling: guilty of 18 counts, not guilty of 10

guilty of most serious chrarges....

[saigon68]

71. ADIOS BOYS

TURN OUT THE LIGHTS

THE PARTY'S OVER.

[Raster]

73. And bring on kenny-boy

dear mr. president are you watching?

[Raster]

74. ken lay GUILTY OF ALL SIX COUNTS against him...

ALL SIX!!!

[lakercub]

76. To quote Trudeau

That's GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY!!!!

[CottonBear]

80. I remember that Doonesbury strip! Trudeau didn't mince words!

[Hekate]

240. Fabulous! I've never forgotten that strip!

Whooboy. Among the Watergate era's many delights was reading Doonesbury every day.
Guilty! guilty! guilty!

Hekate

[lakercub]

81. So what do you think?

A six month probation and community service should just about do it /sarc

[saigon68]

86. An electronic monitor for the Boys with a no drink champagne

Condition

[NashVegas]

84. NY Times Story Link

Enron Chiefs Guilty of Fraud and Conspiracy

HOUSTON, May 25 — Kenneth L. Lay and Jeffrey K. Skilling, the chief executives who guided Enron through its spectacular rise and even more stunning fall, were found guilty today of fraud and conspiracy in a case that led the parade of corporate scandals in recent years that emerged from the get-rich-quick stock market excesses of the 1990's.

The conspiracy and fraud convictions each carry a sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/25/business/25cnd-enron....

[Fridays Child]

87. New info: Skilling guilty on one insider trading charge!

[Fridays Child]

88. self-delete

[Roland99]

93. YES!

[2bfree]

91. Whoo-hoo!

[Fridays Child]

92. Sentencing to take place on 9-11!

Lay and Skilling may well spend the rest of their lives in jail!

[derby378]

98. AWKWARD!!

[lakercub]

105. Sigh...another delay

How can it possibly take over three months to get to sentencing?

[Caution]

114. Standard in federal cases.

Sentencing recommendations in fraud cases are based on loss calculations (there is a table with $$$ attached to years in prison) this can take quite a while to calculate, then each side will file briefs, the recommendations, the defense will file character witness briefs, etc. It's a long process.

[lakercub]

117. Yes...I know

but it is damn frustrating. It is damn frustrating that it took this long to even get these bastards to trial.

[BrotherBuzz]

126. Upside - sentencing will be closer to the midterm elections...

and considering the American people have a collective memory of 90 day it works in our favor. There are people (the Kenny who's?) that would desire the sentencing be after the general election.

This is a good day.

[lakercub]

143. Good point n/m

[catzies]

239. Lakercub, get the word out to your friends Ken Lay put Ahnold in Sacto

and that's where the Kings are too so they both suck. November we gotta vote Ahnold out.

Belated welcome to DU!

(Hard to root for Dallas or Phoenix, isn't it?)

[Caution]

135. They'll both die in prison.

and the past 4 years were probably more stressful than the next 20 in prison will be. Nothing worse than not knowing your fate, fighting against an entity like the federal government and spending pretty much everything you have to fight it.

I'd say these two have gotten and will get everything they deserve.

For once, justice wins the day.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

163. because they're not black.

if they were black it'd be easy.

[classysassy]

95. Kenny boy

will never spend a night in jail."money talks" and crooks walk.

[mconvente]

96. YES!!! TO HELL YOU MOTHERFUCKERS LAY AND SKILLING!!

WOOHOO!!! JUSTICE!

[still_one]

99. bloomberg is reporting how everyone was crying in the court

how lays wife fainted, blah blah blah

yeah right, I feel so f**king sorry for them, WHAT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES WHO LOST EVERYTHING?

Does anyone feel for them

What about the country they screwed

[schrodingers_cat]

121. Lay's wife fainted at the thought of scrubbing her own toilet,

Like the rest of the folks that her hubby screwed over....

[Hand]

174. Heh heh...

That wouldn't have been the case had I been there. I'd have been the guy going until removed.

[Arugula Latte]

100. I hope they rot in prison.

These type of men represent the worst of this country.

[The_Casual_Observer]

101. "I do not know Mr Lay"

Don't drop the soap Mr. Lay

[Ganja Ninja]

107. The only thing that could make this day better is a Rove indictment.

Or me hitting the lotto.

[izzybeans]

123. Or James Baker going down for election fraud-multiple counts

[leveymg]

150. Time wounds all heals. And if anyone deserves it . . . eom

[mconvente]

108. god i loved seeing lay being led out in handcuffs

couldn't happen to a better motherfucker

hopefully there will be a class action lawsuit to claim lay and skilling's assets to get some repayment to the victims of this scandal.

[Spinoza]

109. Today I feel proud

of our system of justice. Way to go USA.

[dweller]

110. pics :)

it's a start
dp

[Rex_Goodheart]

111. Why is Skilling standing outside the courtroom with Petrocelli?

Why wasn't he led away to jail?

[Caution]

130. Federal cases don't work like that in general

He'll be free pending sentencing (which is usually 90 days later roughly depending on the courts schedule). Once sentenced he'll have to report to the prison in 30 days unless he is judged to be a flight risk in which case they might haul him away.

[Roland99]

132. Good question. I thought people found guilty were immediately....guilty?

[lividtiff]

112. I'm happy about the verdict

If he was involved, justice needs to be served. However, I used to work at this obscure Itialian resturant here in Houston. Months after the fall of Enron, Skilling would frequent this resturante with his sons. He would meet them there, and they were always very respectful to the wait staff. Skilling always looked like a sad, tired man to me. I am not upset about the verdict, I am just sad for his sons.

[renate]

152. thanks for that detail... a good reminder

Nothing is ever as black and white as it seems.

[Bridget Burke]

177. Whatever his crimes, Skilling apparently came across well in Court.

But Ken Lay was rude & impatient. He was even short with his own counsel.

[joefree1]

115. See Tom to meet your new Prison Daddy

Enjoy the stripes you creeps.

[DuaneBidoux]

116. self delete

[NoAmericanTaliban]

119. Here is the CNN link

http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/25/news/newsmakers/enron_v...

[Doctor_J]

120. What's the big deal? Smirk doesn't know either of these guys

[Roland99]

129. Never once sat foot on the Enron jet. Never had Kenny Boy in closed-door

meetings re: Energy policy.




Never.

[Renew Deal]

122. You should fix this without the edits?

It's a mess.

[progressivebydesign]

124. They'll be free on appeals, Bush will pardon when he leaves.

Bank on it.

[Warren DeMontague]

128. Justice would be to take ALL their money

and sentence them each to ten years working a minimum wage job with a paper hat and no health insurance.

[leftofthedial]

133. this is good, but it's still not Justice

these guys will never even be charged for their worst crimes

sedition and treason

[Midnight Rambler]

134. Oh Kenny Boy, the Feds the Feds are calling...

[katty]

136. Finally some Justice for the People!! Screw you Kenny Boy

[Tyler Durden]

137. Maybe there IS a God...

[melissinha]

138. Bye by CROOKS!

Justice finally prevails for the people of Houston and the country.

don't let the door hit you were the Good Lord split you!

[Vinca]

139. Skilling didn't seem too upset - there must be a "Plan B."

Either a pardon or a jet waiting at a secluded air strip.

[nolabels]

140. 2 down and 99,998 to go WOO-HOO

This is really kind of sad if you ask me. The rat-bastard criminal justice system is so bent to catering to money it makes me want to.........well you know

They took all these effing years to convict them? or was it that it took that many years for the establishment and republicans to disassociate themselves enough from the whole deal. Most regular crooks would already have 3 or 4 years in the slam, but not the ones who flaunt money at republicans and are politically in bed and or connected to them denigrate and foul what government is supposed to be doing.

I will not reserve my distaste just for republicans, the pardon of Rich by Clinton is just another glaring example, yea justice my effing ass.

When lawyers give up justice for money we end up with the kind of system we have today, it's a bad joke of a system

[tedzbear]

141. Off to country club prison they go...

To bad they don't go to the regular prisons that the rest of us get stuck in. Not fair!

[Caution]

157. Actually they will. The federal system is based on "points"

They are expected to get between 20 and 30 years. This bumps them up to max security. Since they are non-violent and 1st time (convicted anyway) offenders, they will get bumped back down to a mid-level security prison.

oh and for the record there is no such thing as "country club" prison. This is a myth perpetrated by a media looking for a story. The very idea is an insult to all the people who are spending time in minimum security prisons as a result of things that shouldn't be considered a crime in the first place (such as marijuana possession). Prison is prison. It's not the environment that is the punishment it is the removal of freedom, the suspension of liberty and the distance and strain put between an inmate and his/her friends/family.

[Bridget Burke]

180. More info on the Federal Prison system...

Medium security FCIs have strengthened perimeters (often double fences with electronic detection systems), mostly cell-type housing, a wide variety of work and treatment programs, an even higher staff-to-inmate ratio than low security FCIs, and even greater internal controls.

www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/index.jsp

Hardly a "Country Club" setup. But even the "best" prison doesn't sound that great. And, as you said, the worst thing about Prison is--you can't leave until they say you can leave.

[bluefish]

142. Finally some good news

Will Kenny boy hear from his friend?

[confludemocrat]

144. How long is it 'til W's last day in office? well, that ='s their hard time

that the bastards will serve until they are pardoned

[Up2Late]

145. Only one thing to say... Woo Hoo!

Hey Kenny boy, you Pitching or Catching?

More links:

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNe... >

<http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060525162911.03... >

<http://staging.hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/ENRON_TR... >

[Orsino]

148. Ken Who?

[underpants]

154. Exactly

[saigon68]

161. "SO WHAT ? " shouted the CORRUPT CHIMPANZEE

I DON'T KNOW THEM

[leveymg]

149. Abramoff - down. Enron - down. Cunningham. Next, the White House Gang.

Libby under indictment. Rover up next. Cheney slated to testify - UNDER OATH. Who's next?

Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[opihimoimoi]

153. Justice is so nice...esp to those who got bilked of their life savings

[Rhiannon12866]

155. Good news, finally! His pal Cheney should be next! The Guardian link:

5.30pm

Former Enron bosses found guilty

Mark Tran and agencies
Thursday May 25, 2006

A jury today found Kenneth Lay, the founder of Enron, guilty on all six counts of fraud and conspiracy in one of the biggest financial scandals in US history.

The jury of eight women and four men also found the company's former chief executive, Jeffrey Skilling, guilty of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed, but that's the way the system works," Skilling said in a brief comment to reporters.

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1783187,00.html

[superconnected]

159. Yahoo! I so thought they would get off. Justice finally!

Now let's get Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfield into court. Oh, and Diebolds former and present CEOs.

[benny05]

164. And the Board of Directors at Enron

Need to be investigated too

I hope those guys have to turn over nearly all of their assets and pay those employees who lost their jobs. That would mean as much as a jail term.

[fun n serious]

168. He and his family in the court room praying..

I kid you not.

[LuckyLib]

236. Isn't it amazing how they "get religion" in these situations?

[Demobrat]

169. Looks like Grandma Millie gets the last laugh after all.

Bye-bye assholes.

[jeffrey_X]

170. But they get to go to the "good prison," right?

Yes, I'm happy they are guilty. But they should be rotting in the same prison where people are sent for robbing someone for $200.

They are guilty, but it really isn't justice if they aren't punished by the same standards as the regular Joe off the street.

Our system still recognizes their privilige (class & race).

[gulliver]

171. Played right by the Democrats, this could dwarf Abramoff.

Most of the world has forgotten who Ken Lay is. Will anyone remind people that Lay put Bush in the Governor's mansion and the Oval Office? Now that we know Lay is a convicted criminal, doesn't that put another light on his attending Cheney's energy policy meetings? Before, they were a "legal crime." But now maybe they are an illegal one.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

176. Repukes will spin this that the justice system works & that Bush

didn't interfere with it - didn't play favorites. They will also conveniatly forget about the Kenny boy ties to Bush.

Dems need to remind everyone about Kenny boy being a big supported and donor for Bush. Also, lets not forget Bush's own SEC issues that were whitewashed.

[BuyingThyme]

172. Fuck yeah! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[closeupready]

175. Hopefully, this will drive *'s numbers further south.

Unless the relationship is not perceived by the public as especially meaningful.

[Throd]

178. Throw their asses in Folsom!

Yeah, I know it is a State Pen, but considering how they screwed California...

[Name removed]

182. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Felix Mala]

199. hang them from the street lamps as an example to others

[erpowers]

183. Glad

I tell you with the jury taking so long to come back with a verdict I really thought these guys would get off. I am glad that the jury was not misled by Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling. Just in case you did not know Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling tried to use 9/11 as part of their defense. They tried to say that 9/11 distracted them from the company. Something that may be poetic justice on the part of the judge is that the judge decided to sentence Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling on 9/11. When I heard that they were using 9/11 as part of their defense I thought they should have gone to jail just for that.

[onehandle]

185. Another Bush Pioneer bites the dust. nt

[melissinha]

186. Off to cushy white collar prisons

what a fair deal it is....

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/forbes/P1498...

Prison Perk
FCI Ashland, Ky. Wellness program
FCI Bastrop, Texas Easy airport access
FCI Dublin, Calif. Bookmobile service
FPC Duluth, Minn. Musical instruments available
FCI Englewood, Colo. Pool, ping-pong, foosball
FCI Lompoc, Calif. Gym, tennis courts
FPC Montgomery, Ala. Career retraining
FCI Otisville, N.Y. Active Jewish religious program
FPC Pensacola, Fla. Day jobs at the Navy base
FCI Sheridan, Ore. Learn to be a fitness trainer
FCI Texarkana, Texas Track, bocce pit, basketball court
FPC Yankton, S.D. Music lessons, intramural sports


Must be nice.... you make off with loads of meny, never pay it back, your wives live in luxury and you can play all the foosball you want.

[Virginian]

192. If Prison is supposed to teach you a lesson...

If he goes to
FCI Otisville, N.Y. Active Jewish religious program
He can learn what if feels like to be a religious minority. Maybe then he might tell his buddies that prayer in school might not be such a good idea.

If he goes to
FPC Pensacola, Fla. Day jobs at the Navy base
He can learn what if feels like to do an honest days work.

If he goes to
FPC Montgomery, Ala. Career retraining
He can learn how the average person supports himself and how important those benefits are that he robbed his employees of.

I don't know what kind of prison it is in Petersburg, VA, the one that Marion Barry went to, but they have to grow their own food there. Anyone who has ever worked on a farm will tell you that farming is hard work.

[Caution]

228. Once again. There is no such thing as cushy prison

oh they have a foosball table. wow. cushy. They don't mention that everyone in prison is forced to work for pennies, they don't mention the awful food foudn at every prison, they don't mention the deprivation, the lack of freedo, the loss of liberty, the humiliation in front of friends and family, constantly being on guard against reckless and corrupt correctional officers, being a target for other inmates, the very poor hygiene. No they've got friggin foosball tables. It's like disneyland. Seriously, this whole bullshit crap about club fed is about nothing more than convincing americans that it is somehow OK to jail millions of citizens for minro crimes.

prison isn't a joke. even the prison camps. And see my above post. These guys will not being going to a camp until they are about 10 years deep into their sentence.

[KamaAina]

187. How 'bout a round of schadenfreude for everyone?

[SIMPLYB1980]

189. About time

these crooked liars, and thief's were brought to justice! Now if we could just do the same thing with Shrub and Sir Dicksalot.

[progressivebydesign]

191. In case y'all forgot about Bush and Lay

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rotte...

Reminds me of the Gropinator deal struck with Enron for his campaign, the dealings of George "Ken who?" Bush and Lay, and the sordid history of this case.

[Nothing Without Hope]

194. If Kenny Boy could spill dark Bushie secrets, then he has either been

promised a pardon to keep him quiet or he will have an unfortunate accident in prison.

I lean toward the pardon. NOT because of *'s fictional love and loyalty but because there are so many OTHERS out there that the Bushies want to keep on their side and silent. Those others in government, in the media, in the leadership of major companies, are useful and important to the Bushies and, what's more, if they started talking they could do some damage. They will be watching to see how * protects his good buddy Kenny Boy, knowing that it could have been them. If * allows Kenny Boy to rot in prison, or if there is a suspicious death there, they will not miss the message that *'s oh-so-good friends (like them) are on their own and vulnerable. These are not self-sacrificing, generous, loyaty-above-all sorts of guys. (Yes, most of them are men. Katharine Harris' story shows how well women are treated as part of the club of conspirators.)

Yep, I do believe Kenny Boy will be pardoned just as Bush leaves office. Not for his own sake but to send the safe message to all the other Bushie conspirators out there that they will be protected as long as they remain loyal and silent.

[lonestarnot]

203. Fucking outstanding!

[Jack Rabbit]

205. Vengence is mine, sayeth the Californian!!

Map from Perdue University

[truthisfreedom]

207. what about their ill-gotten gains? will they go back to the company's

long-suffering ex-employees?

[PatGund]

209. By all rights.....

They should serve their sentance in California. In the general prison population. *AFTER* selling all they own to pay back all the employees that lost pensions and to pay back California for all the money they ripped off. (I'd also settle for them groveling and begging Grey Davis for forgiveness.)

It won't happen.

The appeals process will drag on until Bush II gives "Kenny Boy" and friends a royal pardon. And then it will be back to business as normal

[Le Taz Hot]

211. I hate to rain on everyone's parade here

but neither will spend one second in prison. They'll appeal, which will take years, and it will either reach the Supreme Court (and we all know how that will turn out) or Bush will pardon them. They MAY pay a few mil. in fines which will be a drop in the bucket compared to what they've stolen from employees/investors. Either way, they still walk away rich mo' fo's, California's budget will continue to be decimated, thousands of Enron would-be retirees will still be working at Wally World due to lack of a pension and Kenny and Jeffie will be somewhere in the Bahamas laughing their asses off.

[Psephos]

234. They will have to appeal from prison

which they will be heading to after sentencing.

Just a thought.

Peace.

[Independent_Liberal]

212. I'm right again!

Old Kenny Boy got convicted! I'm so spot on with everything!

[savemefromdumbya]

216. Aw, another of Bush's good friends bites the dust

Aw how sweeeeeeet!

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/bushlay5.html

[tonekat]

219. Oh, calling Enron's Contract officers...

You're up next guys....and boy, do you deserve it! Scumbags.

[gizmo1979]

223. I hope they rot in hell!

Sorry thieving bastards.I hope they get large boyfriends in prison too.

[jazzjunkysue]

224. "Smartest Guys In The Cell."

Amen.

[FujiZ1]

225. Yay!! Money lost to justice!

I hope it continues during sentencing!!

[Blue_Tires]

232. finally...

of couse another year will probably pass before they get around to sentencing

[Major Hogwash]

233. Justice Thursday - nice ring to it.

Hope they get everything they've got coming to them.

[aaronbees]

237. A brief moment of justice...

in Korporate America. What a beautiful day!

[Hekate]

238. Will their cells be cold and dark, like Grandma Millie's house?

Will they have to pay fines amounting to everything they own? Mind you, I don't want their families to be actually destitute -- lower middle class would be a far enough fall to suit me. You know -- one dinky house, public school, clunker car.

What I want is for these sons of bitches to be made an example of that will give others of their ilk the cold night sweats.

That's all.

Hekate

[Phrogman]

241. Both Lay and Skilling sleeping soundly in their own beds tonight

What? You think they'll spend even a day in jail?

LOL!

[osaMABUSh]

242. Jay Leno said that Kenny Boy will have plenty of company in jail

with his Republican friends.

[DinahMoeHum]

243. You know who really has the last laugh on this? Rebecca Mark.

She was Jeffrey Skilling's biggest rival for the CEO position held by Ken Lay.

In the words of the "Survivor" slogan, she got outplayed, outwitted and outlasted by Skilling in the 1990s. She left day-to-day management in 1998, and left Enron entirely in the summer of 2000.

But not before cashing in her chips in Enron stock, to the tune of anywhere from $52 million to $83 million.

She hasn't had any charges filed against her, since then. Not even as a so-called "unindicted co-conspirator".

Last I've read, she owns a massive cattle ranch outside Taos, NM. with her husband and children.

[mitchum]

244. I hope that both of those pigs die in prison

[Shadowen]

245. As one Canadian commentator noted...

...the sentencing date, September 11th, is kind of ominous...