| WASHINGTON - May 9 - In light of mounting
evidence calling into question former Enron Executive Thomas
White's credibility and conduct as Army Secretary, a group of
national consumer and citizens groups today call upon President
George W. Bush to take responsibility for his appointment and
remove him from office.
Led by American Family Voices (AFV), the groups cited numerous
conflicts of interest, questionable divesting practices, deceptive
responses to Congressional inquiries, and pending FBI and DOD
investigations as ample cause for his removal. Joining AFV with
their concerns were Campaign for America's Future, and USAction.
White, an 11-year Enron executive, had previously headed Enron
Energy Services before being appointed Army Secretary by Bush last
year. White's department has been accused of misrepresenting
earnings and misleading investors, contributing directly to the
company's downfall. As Secretary, White continued to hold Enron
stock and collect an Enron pension, even after promising
legislators that he would divest himself completely.
"Mr. White has displayed an egregious lack of ethics while
holding a public office," said William McNary, President of US
Action. "The honorable thing to do would be to return the profits
he made back to the disenfranchised workers who were not privy to
the same information Secretary White was."
"Secretary White ran a Ponzi scheme at Enron, and walked away
with millions while misleading investors and his own employees,"
said Robert Borosage, co-director of Campaign for America's Future. "He is utterly incapable of representing the core military ethic of
men and mission before self. It is time for the president to show
that personal responsibility applies to members of his own
administration."
Collectively, the groups represent millions of working families
across the country. Each of the groups have been actively working
following the collapse of Enron to make certain that the voice of
the middle class is heard.
Campaign for America's Future is a center of progressive ideas
and organizing, joining citizen activists and policy experts to
challenge the conservative drift of American politics, and to
discuss and debate a new vision of an economy and a future that
works for working families.
USAction is a grassroots consumer organization dedicated to
winning social and economic justice for all.
American Family Voices (AFV) is an issue advocacy organization
designed to focus attention on the economic and family issues most
important to the quality of middle class working families' lives.
AFV members include advocates for consumer, healthcare, education,
children, seniors, civil rights and labor issues.
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