Consumer and Citizens Groups Demand Bush Remove Army Secretary White
Groups Call On White House to Restore Integrity to Army Post
commondreams.org
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.
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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. |
