Former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling has another appeal set for April 2, 2008, and I, for one, hope they let him out this time. Go Jeff! This new appeal just might work – based on an argument used in earlier Enron cases that employees didn’t deprive Enron of their honest services based on the fact that their actions were in line with Enron’s corporate goals, Skilling has an actual chance to beat the rap on this one, especially since he didn’t benefit personally from any of Andy Fastow’s ill-conceived financing schemes. Was he an asshole? Yeah. Did he get extremely rich? Yeah. But does he deserve 24 years in prison? Fuck no. In fact, there was little to no evidence that Skilling was ever informed by any whistleblower or otherwise that Fastow had special-purpose-entitied the company right into the crapper. The Enron board itself, let alone Skilling, had no earthly idea that Fastow himself had walked away with some 60-odd million in ill-gotten personal gains, right underneath their noses. Shit, there are people who have committed murder who haven’t gotten 24 years! Skilling was a scapegoat, plain and simple. Enron is bad so someone’s got to take the fall. Not Fastow, the weasel who was responsbile for all this crap who turned state’s evidence and plea bargained for only six – it had to be Skilling, the former CEO who had left his post long before the fall. 24 years?! Are you fucking kidding me?! Let Jeff go, federal judges in Louisiana!
Update 8/27/08: Four months later and STILL no verdict yet. Damn. How long is it gonna take?!
Listen I love that post man! I think you have a great point. Sure Jeff is a crazy nerd sure he is an asshole but at least he bluffed us into one of the greatest finacial era’s of the world. Technically it’s not his fault that he led Enron to a scandal it was KEN LAY!!!! Since he died before his sentence Andy Fastow and Jeff took there share behind bars. But with all the points you make there has to be a reason why Jeff is serving 24 yrs behind bars. Is it because He had high authority an Enron and Ken Lay died? Shouldn’t the snake behind the scandal a.k.a Andy Fastow the mastermind behind this bluff serve life? Just because he gave Scandal secrets dosen’t mean a thing. Jeff helped Enron and played behind the scenes ..with the flow
Yours Truly,
VladtheImpaler
Fine
Let him out ON THREE CONDITIONS.
1. He HAS to stay married to his present wife. HIS WIFE CANNOT divorce him.
2. HE and his lovely wife MUST reside in NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
3. He can ONLY seek employment within positions that require a name badge.
Alright. Newark it is. But why does he have to stay married?