Former Westar CEO Sent To Prison

[KansDem]

Former Westar CEO Sent To Prison
Jan 17, 2006, 03:03 PM CST
David Wittig

By DAVID TWIDDY
Associated Press Writer

TextTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Former Westar Energy Inc. Chief Executive Officer David Wittig was sent to federal prison Tuesday after a judge ruled he had violated terms of his release while he appealed convictions for bank fraud and looting Westar.

U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson said that numerous financial transactions by Wittig and his wife, Beth, were made without the court's approval, which was required under the terms of his bond agreement.

Wittig was convicted in July 2003 of conspiracy, bank fraud and money laundering for helping former Capital City Bank President Clinton Odell Weidner II hide a $1.5 million loan made between the two men from bank officials and federal regulators. Wittig was sentenced to 51 months in prison.

http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=4373535

I like this part of the article:

Robinson had allowed Wittig to remain free on appeal, provided he didn't do anything that could diminish the value of or hide his assets, which he might have to turn over to the government or use to pay fines or restitution.

But prosecutors argued that several transactions involving various bank accounts and the sale of some stock were part of a larger plan to eventually put all of Wittig's assets under Beth Wittig's name, keeping them out of the reach of authorities.

So he commits more fraud while out of prison pending appeal? Talk about "culture of corruption!"

Oh, to refresh our memories about Westar:

Texas grand jury indicts Westar
A Texas grand jury indicted Westar Energy Inc. on Tuesday for a donation to a political action committee organized by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a spokesman for Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2004/09/20/daily17.html

[MuseRider]

1. Well well well.

Could not have happened to a more deserving person. How about that? I thought he might skate. I am very sorry to read this about Beth though. I liked her a lot. I guess I am not as good a judge of character as I thought I was.

Buh Bye David. I hope his kids have a better person to look up to as role models.

[Wilms]

2. They can't help themselves.

Genetically predisposed to corruption, or something.

Perhaps we'll find a cure, one day.

[Mabus]

3. If they incarcerate him with Taff

they can spend their days exchanging how not to commit bank fraud. :rofl:

And what about Beth's complicity? Did she knowingly help to commit the fraud?

[MuseRider]

4. She had to sign the papers

for all that money to be transfered into her accounts I would think. She is certainly not the clueless type. I am so disappointed in her. She always talked and acted like a NY liberal and I always found her to be so refreshing.

[Mabus]

5. That's too bad

[MuseRider]

6. Maybe

maybe not. I have no use for the likes of David Wittig, well none of us does. I have tried to convince myself that she did not know but dammit, she is bright so she had to have known. I mean surely she knew that taking the company jet to Europe for personal vacations on the company (our) dime was wrong, surely she knew that. They used that jet to ferry many people I know to meetings etc all I suppose to curry favor or just because they thought it was fine. *sigh* it just makes me so sad not to mention angry.

I did not know her well but worked on several committees with her and we were usually in agreement on the way things should go and we seemed to enjoy each others company. It has been several years since I have seen her and we were/are not friends but still, I really did like her. Now I just feel ewwwwwww, ya know?

[kayice]

8. Yeah, that mansion they had in Topeka.....

I feel real sorry for that crook Wittig; maybe she should have had a 'tag' sale and whined on TV like Kenny Lay's wife. Westar screwed a lot of people out of their pensions and just raised their rates again.....flying a plane to NY from KS just to ferry people when they could have driven the car in NY a hour or so is bull....

[MuseRider]

10. Thanks so much for your compassion.

I never said she should have gotten away with anything. Jeeze.

[kayice]

12. Sorry, but I live in Kansas; very close to Wolf Creek power plant

and you won't find a lot of sympathy from people around these parts for Wittig or Lake. As for Wittig's wife, do you think she felt 'compassion' while her husband was ripping off Westar, their shareholders, cutting retiree's pensions and so on? As I understood it, Westar had to pay for Wittig's defense, maybe he should have asked his lawyers if the wife and him could do the paper shuffle.

[MuseRider]

13. Read much?

If you READ what I wrote I was not asking for anyone to feel sorry for her. Read it. I was bemoaning the fact that I once considered her a friend and that I felt stupid, a bad judge of character and was a little sad because of that. Damn, knee jerk often?

[kayice]

14. I'm sorry, I was commenting on the Wittigs not you.

Or meant no ill will to you. I should have posted under the first post, I guess. I thought you were calling in my lack of compassion for the Wittigs.

You certainly have my empathy, we all have our moments when we make a bad judgment call. (Guilty here many times. :hide: ) Peace.

[MuseRider]

15. LOL it does happen.

Peace back to you. Are you going to protest Bush** at K State Monday? I just posted the information in the Kansas forum.

[kayice]

18. No, my disabled butt isn't going to allow me up there.....but I need

to call my son and give him some crap about why he is not attending or protesting.....he is not involved enough. From the Topeka news, a lot of those K-State kids seem like they don't follow the news much either, mine included. (Some are almost giddy about seeing President Dearest). Wonder how many Fort Reilly ticket holders will be attending?

Do yourself proud on Monday! I will be watching the convincing...err....'speech' on WIBW.

[MuseRider]

20. My son is most

decidedly contrary to the popular opinion there but he does little. He does speak intelligently about issues and does not back down but I think he probably avoids it as much as possible. He is too busy to do much but I do wish he did more.

Oh god, WIBW, I am certain Melissa will be giddy and squeaky more than usual.

BTW, a woman whom I adore and admire wrote a pro Wittig LTTE today. I am assuming it is because she has worked with Beth much more and longer than I did on school projects. I am staying out of it but damn, it was one of those that I think you thought I was saying above. Pooooor Wittigs. Sheesh, I guess I got away from all of that just in time. :hi:

[UpInArms]

7. Another one of Tom DeLay's golfing buddies goes off to prison

DeLay rebuked for golf outing with Westar executives

Washington — The House ethics committee rebuked Majority Leader Tom DeLay for the second time in a week for questionable conduct, sternly warning the Texas Republican to temper his behavior.

The committee late Wednesday admonished DeLay for creating an appearance of giving donors special access on pending energy legislation and using the Federal Aviation Administration to intervene in a Texas political dispute.

Last week, the same committee admonished DeLay for offering to endorse the House candidacy of a House member's son in exchange for the member's favorable vote on a Medicare prescription drug bill.

The committee's publicly issued findings constituted the panel's mildest punishment, and spared DeLay from a lengthy investigation.

But the committee noted the rare back-to-back admonishments and that in 1999 DeLay received an ethics committee warning for pressuring a lobby company to hire a Republican.

"In view of the number of instances to date in which the committee has found it necessary to comment on conduct in which you engaged, it is clearly necessary for you to temper your future actions," the committee said in a letter to DeLay.

...more...

DeLay's resignation sought over Westar contributions

Topeka — Westar Energy Inc. and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, were linked Thursday in an exploding political scandal revealed by an ethics committee report that provided a detailed view of money, power and politics.

"Mr. DeLay did indeed sell his vote," said Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor and executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Her remarks were echoed by other public watchdog groups and Democrats who called on DeLay -- a partisan political brawler and champion fund-raiser nicknamed "The Hammer" -- to resign his No. 2 position in the U.S. House.

DeLay, who represents the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, said he had no intention of giving up his post. He added that the ethics committee action amounted to dismissal of a complaint that fell short "not because of insufficient venom but because of insufficient merit."

<snip>

As a House-Senate conference committee was working on the bill, DeLay convened a private golf fund-raiser at a Virginia resort with executives from Westar and a handful of other major energy companies.

The price to tee up with DeLay? For Westar, it was a $25,000 check to a DeLay political-action committee called Texans for a Republican Majority, which worked to get GOP candidates elected to the Texas Legislature.

...more...

[salin]

9. Westar, Joe Barton and Tom DeLay

in the second try to pass the Cheney inspired energy bill (it passed on the third try, IIRC) - there was a flap when a provision was entered that would exclusively, financially assist Weststar. I believe it was inserted by Barton (R - Tx) and DeLay (somehow less directly by DeLay) - and I think there were also donations to Barton around the time. A little embarassment - and the provision was stripped. Caused a brief stir - but definitely a part of the whole pattern of behavior that looks a little like campaign financing ala bribery that is now engulfing the GOP on the Hill.

[MuseRider]

11. The Cheney's have several friends here.

I can only imagine what they have gained from them. Cheney wrote a reference letter for one of my sons friends. Dad was a banker if I recall and almost got himself in trouble as well. They are everywhere.

[gratuitous]

16. 51 months, huh?

Good thing he didn't try to scam Wendy's; he'd have gone to the slammer for twice as long!

But bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy? Well, shame the heck on you, Mr. Wittig!

[Judi Lynn]

17. Yikes. What a savage, painful, truth. Embarrassing, as well. n/t

[President Jesus]

19. Wittig's campaign contributions documented

Good Lord! Look at all the GOP donations:
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=KS&last=Wittig&first=David

[warrens]

21. Here's hoping he goes to a real jail

What a scumbucket. Corrupt to the last. I hope they double his sentence.