WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2006 NATION
NEWS
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Bush names new chief of staff
Eric Draper/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Bush conflushes with Josh Bolton aboard Air Force One enroute to Portland, Maine, in January 2002. Bush named Botten, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, as chief of staff to succeed Andrew Card, on Tuesday.
BY TERENCE HUNT
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Struggling to revive his troubled presidency, President Bush replaced longtime chief of staff Andy Card with budget director Joshua Bolten on Tuesday and gave Bolten authority to make further changes in a White House staff that even Republicans have complained is tired, insular and lacking fresh ideas.
Appearing with Bush in the Oval Office, Bolten gave no hint about what, if any, shake-up he might order. But White House
officials said no one should doubt his ability to replace Bush aides. "He'll have all the authority he needs ... to make the decisions that he feels best, working with the president," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.
Like Card, Bolten, 51, is a Washington insider whose ties reach back to Bush's 2000 campaign for the White House. Democrats — as well as some Republicans — grumbled that the new White House boss looked a lot like the old one.
directness, who's comfortable with responsibility and knows how to lead. No person is better prepared for this important position."
Before being named budget director in 2003, Bolten was Card's deputy chief of staff for policy, a colleague of such senior aides as Karl Rove and Dan Bartlett.
Alarmed by Bush's falling approval ratings and White House mistakes — from the bungled Hurricane Katrina reaction to the ill-fated deal to allow an Arab company to manage U.S. ports — Republicans have been
urging the president to bring in new advisers with fresh energy. The GOP's concerns have been heightened by anxiety over midterm congressional elections in November, Card, as chief of staff, became a target for blame.
Said Democratic National Committee communications director Karen Finney: "As the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. Unfortunately for the American people, all President Bush did today was make it clear that they should expect nothing more than the same failed policies they have come to know."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 5A
Enron trial advances; defense to make case
BY KRISTEN HAYS
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Federal prosecutors rested their fraud and conspiracy case Tuesday against former Enron Corp, chiefs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling and dropped four counts against them to streamline an already complicated case.
The defendants appeared undaunted after almost two dozen witnesses bolstered the government's claim that they committed crimes at the energy trading company before it sought bankruptcy protection in December 2001.
"We're looking forward to getting on the stand and getting our case out there — the positive case." Lay told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Houston.
Their defense teams will begin presenting their case in the premier trial to emerge from Enron's rubble on Monday, but other witnesses are likely to be overshadowed by the main event, when Lay and Skilling take the stand.
"We are anxious to get our story told," said lead Skilling lawyer Daniel Petrocelli, his client at his side.
Prosecutors declined comment, as is customary during a high-profile trial.
Lay and Skilling will enter the defense phase a little lighter because U.S. District Judge Sim Lake approved a government request to drop several charges against them for which it had presented no evidence. Two counts of securities fraud and one count of lying to auditors pending against Skilling were dropped, leaving 28 criminal counts against him; and a single count of securities fraud against
Lay was dropped, leaving six in his case.
Lake denied routine requests from the defense for acquittal.
The dropped counts against Skilling stemmed from allegations the former chief executive signed a fraudulent quarterly report submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission; lied about Enron's health during a first-quarter earnings conference call; and signed a statement to auditors that vouched for fudged financial statements.
The count against Lay that was dropped grew from allegations the company founder lied to analysts about Enron's finances during a conference call.
Lay also faces a separate case related to his personal banking. In one count of bank fraud and three counts of lying to banks, prosecutors allege he obtained $75 million in loans from three banks and then reneged on an agreement with the lenders that he wouldn't use the money to carry or buy Enron stock on margin. That case will be tried without a jury before Lake, beginning while jurors in the current Enron trial begin what are expected to be lengthy deliberations.
Prosecutors say Lay and Skilling repeatedly lied about the energy company's financial health when they allegedly knew accounting maneuvers propped up an image of success.
The government built its case on the recollections of witnesses, audiotapes of conference calls with Wall Street analysts and videotapes of employee meetings.
It often lacked tungible proof such as e-mails, documents or notes. Neither Lay nor Skilling was known to use e-mail at Enron.
2006
2-mile,10-mile,10-mile Relay April 1,2006 @ 8:30am Washburn University
Register online at www.runforlife.us
All proceeds benefit Topeka OrganTransplant Organizat
For more information, call 785-249-1915
Mon.
Wed.
TUIS:
L: not ham & cheese
D: 1/2 Price Runner
Wed. L: BBQ Sandwich
D: 754 Hard Shell Tacos
D: 854 Soft Shell Tacos
L: Buffalo Chicken Salad
D: 1/2 Price Burgers
Thur. L: Chicken Finger Wrap D: Wings
Sat.
L: Chicken Fried Steak
D: 1/2 Price Apps 4-6 p.m.
L: California Turkey Sandwich
D: Steak Entree
L & D: Wings
$2 Domestic Pints
on backlight
$14.90 Aluminum Bed & Red Light bottles
$24.55 Apparel bag
$2.50 Cucero Margaritas & Mexican Beer
$1.50 Single Wells
$2 Wheat Draws
SPECIALS
$2.50 Single Crown, Absolut, Malibu
$3 Guillem Drouet
$2.50 Domestic Bottles
$2 Single Jack, Captain, Smirnoff
$3.Double Bloody.Marys
$7/$11 2/3 L. Domestic Towe
856-8188 6th & Wisconsin
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For the most current schedule information go to www.washburn.edu/schedule/summer