Ascroft criminal charges against Reliant in CA

[nomatrix]

http://www.forbes.com/business/energy/newswire/2004/04/08/rtr1327694.html

"The Houston-based Reliant last month said federal prosecutors in California told it they would seek a criminal indictment against current and former employees of its Reliant Energy Services unit."

On Cspan now.

[Hamlette]

1. what did they do?

say something bad about Bush?

[Maat]

9. That was my first thought, followed by...

"Run by a Democrat?"

[truthspeaker]

2. Are they one of the energy companies that scammed California?

[Emboldened Chimp]

3. Yes, they are

Methinks a plea bargain is on the way...

[nomatrix]

4. Very slow in getting the news out

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/energy/2493834

"WASHINGTON -- A subsidiary of Houston-based Reliant Resources Inc. and four of its employees were indicted today on charges of driving up prices during the 2000-2001 California energy crisis. It's the first company to face criminal charges in the case.

The six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in San Francisco and released by the Justice Department in Washington stems from allegations that the unit of Reliant, Reliant Energy Services Inc., illegally manipulated prices during June 2000 by shutting down two power plants during a two-day period.

The price of electricity rose through the remainder of the week after that action, according to the indictment. Artificially inflated spot prices were then posted for market participants throughout California, including Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in San Francisco."

[frylock]

5. they must be manufacturing water pipes..

or maybe they've opened a brothel.

[elfin]

6. They must not have donated

their "fair share" to Bushco.

[Whoa_Nelly]

7. Have a look at Reliant/BushCo soft money donations

http://www.opensecrets.org/softmoney/softcomp1.asp?txtName=reliant+resources

Be sure to click on the Reliant links to see WHO has done the actual contributing. Each link brings up a page of names/$ donations.

[Maat]

10. Now that would be a good explanation.

'Cause I know As*cr*ft really cares about us Califor-nay-uns.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. You can bet your bottom dollar...

That this announcement was planned, with all due malice aforethought, to be announced on the same day as Ol' Gaptoofus' testimony.

Gotta hide something like this in the warp and woof, doncha' know...