One of the wealthiest companies in Houston, Texas is the Enron company. It is also one of the biggest contributors to pollution in the city. Enron is also the single largest contributor ($555,000 and counting) to the political ambitions of Texas Governor George W. Bush, Republican Candidate for President of the United States. Kenneth Lay, the chief executive of Enron, has personally given over $100,000 to Bush’s political campaigns, more than any other individual. He is also one of the “Pioneers”–a Bush supporter who has collected at least $100,000 in direct contributions of $1,000 or less. Enron is best known as the largest buyer and seller of natural gas in the country. Its 1999 revenues of $40 billion have made it the 18th largest company in the United States. Enron is invested in energy projects around the world including the UK, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, India and Mozambique. Texas activists say that this tight connection between Bush and Enron bodes ill for the country, if Bush is elected.

Guests:

• Pratap Chaterjee, an independent journalist who has recently completed a major investigative report on Bush’s ties to Enron. He is also the New Media Reporter for Democracy Now!
• Celia Alaria, a member of Amazon Watch and has just returned from Bolivia where she visited communities effected by Enron projects and met with Enron officials.