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Background Information:

» (9/22/04) Texas Indictment against Westar for Unlawful Political Contribution [1.68 MB] » (7/1/03) House energy conference committee transcript of debate on Rep. Ed Markey's attempt to remove Westar's special exemption. September 19, 2002 [47 KB] » (6/19/03) On September 19, 2002, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), outraged that the Westar language had been inserted a day before by DeLay, Tauzin and Barton with no debate and no vote, offered an amendment to strike the Westar provision. [7 KB] » (6/19/03) Reps. Ed Markey (D-MA) and John Dingell (D-MI) write a letter to then-Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt and Reps. Tauzin and Barton on January 30, 2002 regarding Barton's proposed blanket exemption for all holding companies from the Investment Company Act in Barton's electric deregulation bill, HR 3406. In the letter, Markey and Dingell raise concerns about the potential adverse impact on shareholders of such an exemption (4 pages). [352 KB] » (6/19/03) SEC Commissioner Hunt testifies again before Barton's energy subcommittee, this time on February 13, 2002 during a hearing on how exemptions from SEC oversight contributed to Enron's ability to hide information from shareholders. [88 KB] » (6/19/03) SEC Commissioner Isaac Hunt testifies before Joe Barton's energy subcommittee on December 13, 2001. [70 KB] » (6/19/03) Then-SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt responds to Markey, Dingell, Barton and Tauzin on February 13, 2002 by providing an analysis critical of granting exemptions to holding companies (like Westar) from the Investment Company Act. [588 KB] » (6/18/03) "Washington's Other Scandal," Tompaine.com » (6/17/03) Details of Campaign Contributions by Westar Executives to Federal Candidates [8 KB] » (6/17/03) Letter from Rep. Ed Markey describing his unsuccessful efforts to remove the Westar exemption on September 19, 2002 [392 KB] » (6/11/03) Westar delivers $25,000 to Rep. Tom DeLay's Texans for Republican Majority PAC in May 2002 after Westar executive Doug Lawrence mentions the contribution in internal memos [155 KB] » (6/11/03) Westar Energy Memos Describing Bribery Efforts [61 KB] » (6/11/03) Westar Energy Memos Describing Bribery Efforts [77 KB]

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