Bush defends White House's handling of Enron crisis
BELLE, W.Va., Jan 22 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush on Tuesday defended the administration's handling of Enron Corp.'s collapse, declaring that the White House did ``the exact right thing'' and challenging critics to ``let me know'' about any allegations of wrongdoing.
``Our administration has done the exact right thing,'' Bush told reporters traveling with him in West Virginia.
The president also expressed ``outrage'' at the treatment of shareholders, noting that the first lady's mother, Jenna Welch, had bought stock in the company last summer. ``It's not worth anything,'' Bush said.
Bush's team has close ties to Houston-based Enron and its chairman, Kenneth Lay, a major Bush campaign contributor. Last autumn, Lay called Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Commerce Secretary Don Evans, Bush's 2000 campaign manager, to warn them of Enron's mounting financial problems.
Enron President Lawrence ``Greg'' Whalley also called Treasury Undersecretary Peter Fisher in late October and early November seeking help for the beleaguered energy-trading giant, which filed for bankruptcy on Dec. 2.
Bush noted a ``couple of contacts'' between members of his Cabinet and Enron executives, but said their response was, ``No help here.'' Bush said anyone with ``an accusation about some wrongdoing just let me know.''
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