friday,january 23,2004
news
the university daily kansan
11A
Abortion rights activists gather march on Washington for cause
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands of abortion protesters marched from the White House to the Supreme Court on Thursday to mark the 31st anniversary of the decision that established a woman's right to the procedure.
"Abortion kills more people than war," said 14-year-old Andrew Marshall, who traveled with his family and a Catholic youth group from McMurrey, Pa. "We're trying to win a war in America, it's a war to stop abortion."
The day of activism included events both for and against the court's 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade and began with a mass and anti-abortion rally attended by nearly
"Anti-choice zealots want to impose their views and theology on the rest of us, and that's just not right."
Gloria Feldt president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America
two-dozen Catholic bishops and a crowd of about 15,000, most of them teenagers.
"The theme of this day is human life and human dignity." Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, said before the rally.
A smaller group of abortion rights activists said they largely focused on lobbying on Capitol Hill for legislation to reverse limits on reproductive freedom imposed since 1973.
They planned their own march for reproductive rights on April 25.
"The right to life does not come from government, it comes from the creator of life," the president said by telephone from Roswell, N.M., where he was wrapping up a two-day trip.
Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said abortion rights were at risk because of Bush's decisions, "from stacking the federal judiciary with anti-choice proponents, to executive orders, to regulations, to restrictive legislation and key political appointments."
"Anti-choice zealots want to impose their views and theology on the rest of us, and that's just not right," said Gloria Feldt, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Outside the Supreme Court, Luana Stoltemberg, 43, of Davenport, Iowa, held the "regret" sign. She said abortions had contributed to her inability to have children when she wanted them. She later adopted.
"I've had three abortions, and that hurts women like me," she said. "It devastates us physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally."
OFFICIAL: Leaving for job as director of Hispanic organization
CONTINUED FROM 1A
Hemenway said the legislative team would have more work to do.
"KU has always known the importance of working with the legislature," Hemenway said. "We won't lose ground, but everyone will have to do a little more."
Hemenway said the University hired Kathy Damron, a legislative lobbyist and former staff member for U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and former Kansas Gov. Mike Hayden, as a consultant to assist with the lobbying efforts.
Blake Shuart, Topeka senior and legislative director for Student Senate, is in charge of the student lobbying efforts at the capitol.
He said that Murguia's departure would not change the Student Legislative Awareness Board's approach for the semester.
"I don't think we will change much," Shuart said, "not that Janet Murgiaid didn't have an
affect on our work at the capitol, but we've been working on this for a while and are going to continue with our work."
Hemenway said after the legislative work was finished and the University's new marketing communications plan had been implemented, he would evaluate the qualifications needed for the executive vice chancellor position.
Murguia said a passion for higher education and the University would be good qualities for her successor to possess.
"It is important to have someone who will carry the banner of KU across the state, who will be a good spokesperson for the University." Murgia said.
Hemenway said the search for a new executive vice chancellor would begin in five or six months, toward the beginning of the next fiscal year.
— Edited by Guillaume Doane
SPIKE: Director sponsors film
C. S.A. also is a boldface, urgent answer to Cold Mountain and you could even say the likes of Gone with the Wind also," Lee said in a statement released at the festival.
Because of the controversial subject, Willmot said there were discussions about the film on buses and sidewalks among the moviegoers attending the festival.
For Willmott, C.S.A. has been a long time coming. The filmmaking process took more than three years because of lack of adequate funding. The film received grants from the National Black Consortium and various KU investors, but the shooting of C.S.A. had to be broken into many chunks because of the fundraising process.
"It was just shoot, raise more money, shoot, raise more money for a long time." Willmott said. "But it was good because we were able to
take the time to do it right."
More than 20 current and former KU students and professors including Matt Jacobson, cinematographer and associate professor of theatre and film, helped in the filmmaking process and traveled to Park City to view the movie. Willmott said that seeing their work on the big screen was a great payoff for their hard work.
John Sweets, interim department chair of theatre and film, said the film was giving students within the department the recognition they deserved.
"It's putting a face on KU that's going to do a world of good for the University." Sweets said.
Willmott said that he never really focused on the awards and that the showings at the festival were the true reward.
"The great thing about Sundance is it's changed everything for us," Willmott said. "It's taking Kansas filmmaking to a new level."
—Edited by Robert Perkins
Accountant for Enron indicted
The Associated Press
HOUSTON — Enron Corp.'s former top accountant was led away in handcuffs Thursday to face allegations he was "a principal architect" of the accounting scandal that caused the energy giant to collapse.
Richard Causey, 44, pleaded innocent to federal conspiracy and fraud charges in an indictment that accused him of being a key participant in widespread schemes to mislead government regulators and investors about the company's earnings.
His arrest could bring prosecutors closer to Enron's executive suite. The indictment noted Causey reported to Enron's chairman and chief executive officer but did not name former Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay or former CEO Jeffrey Skilling.
Causey, who surrendered to the FBI before daybreak, entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy. He was released on $1 million bond, secured by $500,000 in cash provided by a brother-in-law.
"Rick Causey is a decent, honorable and innocent man," his attorney, Mark Hulkower, said. "We will vigorously contest these charges."
The indictment alleged the schemes included inflated asset values, hidden debt, sham asset sales, use of energy trading profits to make the company's money-losing energy retail unit appear healthy and faking earnings in Enron's sickly broadband unit.
It also alleged Causey had secret agreements with former Enron finance chief Andrew Fastow that the finance chief wouldn't lose money when his shady partnerships did deals with Enron.
"The scheme extended into every major business at Enron," prosecutor Sam Buell said.
Causey was fired in February 2002 after an internal probe concluded he failed in his duty to adequately look out for Enron's interests when the energy giant did deals with Fastow's partnerships.
Causey is charged with one count of conspiracy and five counts of securities fraud. If convicted of all six charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison and a $5.25 million in fines.
His Indictment, handed up Wednesday and unsealed Thursday, came on the heels of guilty pleas last week from Fastow.and Fastow's wife, Lea.
Fastow pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy, while his wife admitted to helping hide ill-gotten income on a false tax return.
Like Andrew Fastow, Causey reported directly to Lay and his successor, Skilling. Causey and Fastow split financial duties at Enron and were at the same management level.
Neither Lay nor Skilling has been charged with any crime, and both maintain their innocence.
Causey became the 27th person charged in the aftermath of Enron's 2001 collapse amid revelations of hidden debt, inflated profits and accounting tricks. Nine of them, including the Fasts, have pleaded guilty.
According to the indictment, the scheme's objectives, among other things, were to produce earnings that grew by 15 to 20 percent annually, meet or exceed "without fail" Wall Street expectations and avoid public reporting of large write-downs or losses.
The Securities and Exchange Commission also filed civil charges Thursday accusing Causey of helping Enron file fraudulent results with the agency.
Stacy set Causey's trial for March 8 before U.S. District Court Judge Sim Lake.