1. Rest in peace Enron Blog!

Posted at 10:11AM on Jul 9th 2005 by Tino Buntic

2. I was at closing arguments for the EBS trial this week, and these are my colored and biased reactions.

The trial may have been a snoozer, but the closing arguments were not - everything but Campbell's arguments, that is.

From watching the Jury, about three of the fourteen were even looking at Atty. Campbell during his three hour argument, which included such 'zinger' lines as: "I'm from Iowa, and I didn't just fall of the turnip truck, and neither did you," and "As Jerry Maguire said, 'Show me the money!'" That's right, he referenced Jerry Maquire.

Defense attorneys had a better time holding the Jury's attention: Dave Angeli through power-points and videos, and Tony Canales through colorful analogy and talking directly to the jury. At the end of both attorneys' arguments the jury was intent and leaning forward. After Mr. Canales's, half the jurors - and all of the defendants' families and friends - were in tears. At some point Canales retorted, "Show me the money? How about show me the evidence!" He also showed the indictment to the jury (though the government filed a motion to keep it away from the jury) which, if you read it, is all about the Shelby BOS video, which was never shown. He then said, in reference to the supposedly damning Collins lipstick email, "you can put all the lipstick you want on this indictment, it isn't going away." If at this point the jury just wants relief from the drudgery of the trial, they got their wish from the defense.

It's interesting, however, that some think the prosecution laid off of the Braveheart group, because both Campbell and Stricklin spent over half their time talking about them. This is a stark contrast from the one-tenth of the time spent on them during the actual trial. If Campbell and Stricklin laid off of anyone, it was actually Shelby and Yeager. Yeager was hardly mentioned in Champbell's argument, and both he and Shelby were mentioned for ninety seconds each during Stricklin's argument. My impression of the end was that they are cutting their losses and going after Hirko for insider trading (the conspiracy theory has pretty much fallen flat) and after Kraus and Howard.

Though the Braveheart deal is ridiculously confusing, those defendents might be in trouble. It is tough for the government to prove an "oral side deal" because the accountants and experts say it was completely in compliance with accounting rules *and* what the contract said was exactly what happened (there was never a third party buyout, the money was lost, etc.). Yet because it is so confusing, the defense has not been able to explain clearly to the jury exactly what happened. Not even closing arguments brought clear explanation. The Braveheart case might keep the jury out for a while.

Last, (and I'm clearly showing my bias here), I like what I'm hearing about the prosecutors' tactics. Though I see the need for anti-mafia laws that make prosecuting organized crime easier, I don't agree those tactics should be used for white-collar crime. Our government has turned into a brute squad. They sent five guys to bang on Beth Steir's door on Friday night after the Shelby II debacle, and made her cry on the stand. Why? They said she lied to the government by not giving them the correct tapes. In reality, the FBI had the raw footage from her for six months and never watched it. Canales said yesterday, "doesn't the I in FBI stand for investigation?" The defense got the raw footage from the government - not Beth Steir. Also, The government called Larry Cisqon three times the night before he testified to remind him he was a target. Even worse, the government destroyed the evidence in this case, namely, the software and the servers. They went to the POPs and scrapped the servers and sold them off. Arthur Anderson gets dismantled for destorying backup copies of non-critical documents. The American government destroys evidence and three years of a defendent's life goes down the drain. This is our America ... with liberty and justice for all.

I know I'm running the risk of sounding inflammatory, but this whole case has been an abuse of power. Campbell said that money corrupts. I say power corrupts, and the abolute power of an Enron Task Force backed by millions of tax dollars, Rico, and the Patriot Act, has corrupted them absolutely.

Posted at 3:24AM on Jul 15th 2005 by Dave

3. Good ridence ENron!

Posted at 1:49AM on Aug 4th 2005 by College Student

4. What about a Parmalatblog?

Posted at 9:01PM on Aug 24th 2005 by Paul343

5. Nice blog.I read some of you're articles and they are really good.
http://Hebrewland.info

Posted at 6:03AM on Aug 25th 2005 by Paul

6. You write really a nice tahnksgiving speech.I vist you're dvguru link and i enjoyed visited them.

Posted at 2:57AM on Aug 27th 2005 by Tedd

7. Intellectually drafted article. seems to grab attention at once.The writer has a good knowledge of the subject and makes reading interesting.

Posted at 3:40AM on Sep 1st 2005 by mac

8. Your blog makes me want to go and watch the Enron movie.

Posted at 8:44PM on Sep 5th 2005 by Sales Leads

9. Some good Enron info on this blog, too bad you are stopping to post on it.

Posted at 10:37PM on Sep 8th 2005 by Larry

10. I am really going to miss u. Your articles always used to fascinate me. I hope you succeed in whatever you are doing now, but I really hope that someday you will be back agian. Bye

Posted at 5:44AM on Sep 19th 2005 by amber

11. Thanks for your great work. Its been a good run and a good read.

Posted at 12:47AM on Sep 28th 2005 by Calvin Schut

12. Spectacularly written, Jeff, I'll see you over at the DV site...

Posted at 12:32AM on Oct 2nd 2005 by Todd Rasmussen

13. If Campbell and Stricklin laid off of anyone, it was actually Shelby and Yeager. Yeager was hardly mentioned in Champbell's argument, and both he and Shelby were mentioned for ninety seconds each during Stricklin's argument. My impression of the end was that they are cutting their losses and going after Hirko for insider trading (the conspiracy theory has pretty much fallen flat) and after Kraus and Howard.
http://www.super-referate.com
http://www.super-referate.com/referate/marketing/3/marketing3.php
http://www.super-referate.com/referate/marketing/2/marketing3.php

Posted at 4:43AM on Oct 23rd 2005 by ninc

14. I think the Enron story will continue... with other companies and other names.

Posted at 11:03AM on Oct 23rd 2005 by PKV

15. Wishing you all the best on your new projects.

Posted at 6:45AM on Oct 27th 2005 by Brent Dunhill

16. I really thing that the world of corporate fuck ups needs its own temple. One of my associates is starting to build his at http://www.doingthadeal.blogspot.com

Refco, Tyco, Worldcom.............all blogworthy

Posted at 10:44AM on Oct 29th 2005 by shoelover

17. really thing that the world of corporate fuck ups needs its own temple. One of my associates is starting to build his at http://www.doingthadeal.blogspot.com

Refco, Tyco, Worldcom.............all blogworthy

Posted at 10:02PM on Nov 10th 2005 by college student