Cheney Suppressed Evidence in California Energy Crisis

[jpak]

http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2007/07/19/cheney-suppressed-evidence-in-california-energy-crisis/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.truthout.org%2Fdocs_2006%2F071907J.shtml&frame=true

In March 2001, while California's two largest utilities were teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, and the state's electricity crisis was spiraling out of control, Vice President Dick Cheney summoned Curt Hebert, the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), to his office next to the White House for a hastily arranged meeting.

Cheney had just been informed by his longtime friend Thomas Cruikshank, the man who handpicked the vice president to succeed him at Halliburton in the mid-1990s, that federal energy regulators were close to completing an investigation into allegations that Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Williams Companies and AES Corporation of Arlington, Virginia had created an artificial power shortage in California in April and May of 2000 by shutting down a power plant for more than two weeks.

Cruikshank was a member of Williams's board of directors, and perhaps more importantly, had been one of many energy industry insiders advising Cheney's energy task force on a wide-range of policy issues, including deregulation of the nation's electricity sector, that would benefit Williams financially.

Cruikshank informed the vice president he had learned about the preliminary findings of FERC's investigation during a Williams board meeting earlier in March 2001. FERC, Cruikshank told Cheney, was in possession of incriminating audio tapes in which a Williams official and an AES power plant operator discussed keeping a Southern California power plant offline so Williams could continue to receive the $750 per megawatt hour premium for emergency power California's grid operator was forced to procure to keep the lights on in Southern California.

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[aquart]

1. And in a country with a functioning justice system...

His ass would be in jail by now.

[jpak]

2. and impeachment is still "off the table"

:mad:

[GreenTea]

3. But the same judge who yesterday threw out the V Plame case, also protected Cheney from having

to show who was at the energy policy meetings and what was discussed...These slimy republican fucks were setting our energy policy for their own profit and as always use one of their own cronies to toss it out of court and protect the republicans in questions.

That's what this whole ongoing attorney scandal is all about, that Conyers is trying to get answers to but Bush has himself set up as US dictator and says he's above the law and no one he doesn't want to testify will not.

[cascadiance]

5. And he and Reggie Walton (who sentenced Libby) are the two most recent additions to FISA Court...

... by Chief Justice John Roberts (he's named three so far now...)

They are nominated for 7 year terms. Can you say they want to *PACK* the FISA Court now for Bushco? Thought you could!!!

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. Additional Sources?

I googled the Author Jason Leopold, read a Columbia Journalism Review piece on him. Not to mention that there are no specific dates and times. e.g. Arrived at Darths office 245PM on May 7th. Does he really have the evidence or is he just saying what we want to hear?

[siri2k]

6. And Congress sits idly by, waiting for their August recess, and continues

to let this happen to our country. They may return in September to a dismantled 3 branch government and a newborn thriving dictatorship. Who knows how Bush plans on spending HIS August, but relaxing on his fake ranch is isn't it.
siri

[tom_paine]

7. Yet another impeachable felony. What's that make, like...27?

If only someone could be found to investigate and prosecute.