Ken Lay Explains It All For You

[Subdude]

Dec. 14, 2005, 12:16AM

SETTING THE STAGE

Vocal Lay foreshadows defense in speech

Ex-Enron chief says his trust in CFO Fastow was 'fatally misplaced'

By MARY FLOOD

Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Ken Lay declared his innocence, demonized his accusers and asked ex-employee "truth sayers" to rally around him for his trial, in a Tuesday speech.

Just a month before his Jan. 17 federal trial on seven conspiracy and fraud charges, the former Enron chairman drew polite applause with his luncheon address titled "Guilty, until proven innocent," in part a call to arms to Enron employees to defend the honor of the company and Lay himself.

Lay quoted Winston Churchill, saying, "Truth is the great rock," and in his case, prosecutors have submerged it in a "wave of terror."

Lay promised he'll testify and asked other Enron employees to join him in creating a "wave of truth."

Chronicle article

HOUSTON, Dec. 13 - The well known and the powerful often appear before the Houston Forum, one of the city's elite spots for speakers. Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, gave a recent talk, as did Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary.

Speaking before a Houston audience, Kenneth L. Lay, the former Enron chief, was critical of Justice Department prosecutors and Andrew S. Fastow, who was Enron's chief financial officer.

But the speaker who stirred up the greatest interest was one of Houston's own: Kenneth L. Lay, the former chairman of Enron, who spoke on Tuesday.

It was a rare appearance for Mr. Lay, and particularly noteworthy because he goes on trial next month in Houston on criminal charges that could send him to prison for decades. He used the opportunity to make his case before the crowd of well-heeled Houstonians, forcefully proclaiming his innocence and contending he was the victim of a "wave of terror," in a speech invoking Scripture and the wisdom of Winston Churchill.

NY Times article

[RedScare]

Yeah, I saw that speech. Here it is:

D-Day: War's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.

Bluto: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Otter: Germans?

Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.

Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...

[thinks hard]

Bluto: the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!

[runs out, alone; then returns]

Bluto: What the ____ happened to the Delta I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Bluto, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer...

Otter: Dead! Bluto's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.

Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.

D-Day: Let's do it.

Bluto: LET'S DO IT!

[Ashikaga]

Chronicle article

NY Times article

According to today's Chronicle, Enron's former accountant might be ready to "flip" on Lay.

[Subdude]

He did. He's singin' like a bird.

[MidtownCoog]

He's singin' like a bird.

Yes, it's really great to base your case upon someone trying to save their own arse.

That's cause for reasonable doubt, without a doubt.

Which crook should I trust?

Edited December 28, 2005 by MidtownCoog

[Subdude]

Yes, it's really great to base your case upon someone trying to save their own arse.

Well, if that's what it takes, what of it? It's the oldest technique in criminal justice.