" G.O.P. Weighs Chief's Stance on Enron Tie
"Several Republican state chairmen and party officials said in
interviews that they would prefer that Mr. Racicot sever all
connections to the firm, Bracewell & Patterson, from which he still
intends to draw a salary."
............................................................................................
"Party officials said Mr. Racicot, the former governor of Montana,
had no intention to further change his arrangement with the firm.
Undaunted by the negative publicity, Bracewell & Patterson
sought to showcase its ties to Mr. Racicot. Tonight, the firm held a
cocktail reception to honor him at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin
....................................................................................................
``The fact that he Raiscot is the president's buddy makes everyone feel
real comfortable,'' said Ron Kaufman, the party's
national committeeman from Massachusetts. "
January 18, 2002
The New York Times
By RICHARD L. BERKE
AUSTIN, Tex., Jan 17 - As
questions intensify about
Enron's ties to the White House,
Republicans who gathered here
today for the party's winter
meeting said they were not
entirely reassured after last
week's decision by the newly
selected party chairman, Marc
Racicot, to stop lobbying for a firm
whose biggest clients included
Enron.
Several Republican state chairmen
and party officials said in
interviews that they would prefer
that Mr. Racicot sever all
connections to the firm, Bracewell
& Patterson, from which he still
intends to draw a salary. Despite
their misgivings, many of those
interviewed said they were not
willing to block President Bush's
choice and that they expected Mr.
Racicot's nomination to be approved
at the meeting on Friday.
Party officials said Mr. Racicot, the
former governor of Montana, had no
intention to further change his
arrangement with the firm.
Undaunted by the negative
publicity, Bracewell & Patterson
sought to showcase its ties to Mr.
Racicot. Tonight, the firm held a
cocktail reception to honor him at
the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin.
Mr. Racicot appeared at the
gathering, which included top party
officials and lobbyists from the
Houston- based firm - who were
entertained by a mariachi band -
even before he made his way to the
party meeting itself. As a parting
gift, guests were handed
business-card holders with
Bracewell & Patterson's logo.
The firm's three other partners
who were honored at the reception
have received donations or had
other links to Enron. They are Greg
Abbott, a former justice of the
Texas
Supreme Court who is running for
state attorney general; Jim
Chapman, a former congressman;
and Barry McBee, a former chief of
staff to Gov. Rick Perry
One state party leader who
attended the reception said that,
given the questions about Mr. Racicot, the party was ``not
the most wise thing to do.'' By maintaining his connection
with Bracewell & Patterson, he added, Mr. Racicot was
``giving throwaway lines to Terry McAuliffe,'' the chairman of
the Democratic Party, to criticize Republicans.
For all the festivities at the firm's reception tonight, there
was a palpable undercurrent of concern at the party
gathering itself. Six Republican state chairmen, as well as
many party advisers and officials, said in interviews that
they objected to Mr. Racicot's arrangement with the firm.
``I was very glad he made the decision to discontinue
lobbying,'' said John L. Ryder, chairman of the Tennessee
Republican Party. But if Mr. Racicot continues work for the
firm, he added, ``they're going to have to look at what level of
involvement there is in the law firm and what kind of
involvement.''
Some party leaders who criticized Mr. Racicot, who would
replace former Gov. James S. Gilmore III of Virginia as
chairman, were reluctant to do so publicly.
``I'm very worried,'' said a prominent Republican who is close
to Mr. Racicot. Mr. Racicot's decision to cease lobbying, he
said, ``is obviously a halfway measure.''
A Republican Party official put it this way: ``Racicot is a
totally ethical guy. But it's a P.R. thing. There's a lot of
discomfort here.''
Many party officials said the more appropriate course would
have been for the Republican Party to pay Mr. Racicot far
more than the $150,000 salary normally given to the
chairman if he abandoned his work for the firm. White
House officials said Mr. Racicot was offered, and rejected,
such a deal and has refused to draw a salary from the party.
Seeking to make the best of what could be a
less-than-seamless debut for a new chairman, Jack Oliver,
the vice chairman of the party, characterized Mr. Racicot's
decision to draw a salary from a law firm while working for
the party for free as a virtue.
``We're very blessed that we have Marc Racicot, who's willing
to volunteer on behalf of this cause because he believes in
it,'' he told reporters.
Mr. Oliver brushed aside a question about whether it was
appropriate for Mr. Racicot to take money from a firm that
lobbies. ``Law firms do things beside lobby,'' he said. ``If you
don't know that you've spent too much time in Washington,
D.C. No one has questioned the ethics or integrity of this
great leader, Marc Racicot. He's going to do a fabulous job as
chairman and will continue to work for a law firm. He has
been very clear in stating that he will not do any lobbying or
any setting up of anything that has to do with the
administration or with members of Congress.''
Enron gave two contributions to the Republican Party last
October, Mr. Oliver said, but they were returned when it was
clear the company was in trouble.
Some party members here said they were not distressed
about Mr. Racicot because he is quite close to Mr. Bush - and
they trust Mr. Bush.
``The fact that he is the president's buddy makes everyone
feel real comfortable,'' said Ron Kaufman, the party's
national committeeman from Massachusetts.
Alan Novak, the state chairman from Pennsylvania, said,
``My advice to Governor Racicot is to be prudent'' in his work
for the firm,
``and I think he will be.''
Besides the concerns over Mr. Racicot, some conservative
party members have objected to the selection of Lewis
Eisenberg, a prominent party donor from New Jersey, as the
committee's new national finance chairman. Mr. Eisenberg
founded the Republican Leadership Council, which favors
abortion rights. In a whispering campaign, foes of Mr.
Eisenberg were calling party members in their hotel rooms
here to encourage them to oppose his selection, which is
expected to be approved on Friday.
Speaking of a conversation he had with Mr. Racicot, Mr.
Eisenberg said, ``we commiserated with each other'' over
``being attacked'' from within their own ranks.
nytimes.com |
