VIA FACSIMILE
January 15, 2002
Senator Joseph Lieberman
Chairman
Senate Governmental Affairs Committee
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Lieberman:
I am writing to ask you to recuse yourself from any participation in the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee's upcoming hearing and consideration of the Enron case.
Last Thursday, Attorney General Ashcroft recused himself from the Enron case the same day he received a letter from Rep. Henry Waxman in which Waxman questioned the approximately $50,000 that had gone to committees affiliated with Ashcroft by Enron-related individuals and groups.
As you know, the amount that you and committees affiliated with you received from Enron interests, Enron's top creditor - Citigroup, Inc. and Enron's auditor, Arthur Anderson, dwarfed anything received by Attorney General Ashcroft.
Enron contributed at total of $25,000 in 2000 to the group you founded, the New Democrat Network, according to IRS records. Also, Enron's biggest creditor, Citigroup, Inc. is listed as your largest single contributor ($112,546) for the period 1997-2002 by the web site Opensecrets.org, relying on Federal Election Commission records. Citigroup, Inc. also made $100,000 in contributions to the New Democrat Network in 2001. Arthur Andersen, Enron's auditing firm, contributed $20,000 to the New Democrat Network in 2001.
In order to assure the public of the integrity of the Senate investigation and to avoid the appearance of a double standard, I hope you agree with me that recusing yourself is the only appropriate step for you to take.
Sincerely,
Peter Flaherty
President
cc: Rep. Henry Waxman