Every once in awhile a little paranoia can actually be a little refreshing. It puts us in touch with our darker side, particularly that dark side which the "powers that be" have so effectively tapped in manipulating the public and in unleashing the forces of darkness upon the world. So what if our paranoia doesn't pan out as accurate? At least it gives us insight into Our Glorious And Perfect Leader Who Is The Embodiment Of God On Earth (i.e, The Ol' Liar, or Dry Drunk In Chief) and his Imperial stormtroopers.
So my paranoia got activated just a little bit the other day when I read the news that Ken Lay had suddenly died. "Totally unexpectedly" according to the family spokesperson.
The government had been seeking the forfeiture of $43.5 million.
"However, Lay's death likely means his conviction will be vacated and it will be as if he were never charged, say legal observers.
"Lay had not been sentenced and the appeal process had barely started. That means a final judgment has not been issued and the conviction will be set aside, said Richard Barnett, a San Diego attorney who specializes in forfeitures.
"What is not clear, however, is if the government's efforts to seize money and assets from Lay can continue.
"Brian Wice, a Houston-based lawyer who specializes in appellate issues said it seems the forfeitures cannot proceed since it is seen as a measure meant to punish the defendant."
source: Houston Chronicle www.chron.com
I hope the coroner looks for traces of potassium chloride in his blood. I find his death a little suspicious - "completely unexpected" the family spokesperson said? (And how convenient that his pure-as-the-driven- snow- pastor appears to have broken the news to the media.) I'm sure he had the best of medical care and regular physicals which surely would have turned up any life-threatening heart disease. I can't help but wonder if he Kervorkianed himself so his family would get the money -- or something. I suppose such extreme stress can suddenly cause these things to happen without any warning or detectable symptoms. But it must be very rare. (Later reports included claims by the family that he had heart disease.)
Yes, it is true there is an SEC action and countless civil actions seeking damages, so perhaps the money will be paid out anyway.
I was so relieved to learn that he still had access to a $10m home in Aspen. But you know how those kinds of folks are - they have hundreds of millions secretly stashed away in the Grand Caymans or Switzerland even as they plead destitution. I will never forget Linda Lay sobbing on the Today show, "We're ruined! We've lost everything!" even as they still owned seven homes at that point. Perhaps she was referring to Bush disavowing that he even knew Lay. Later, of course, a multitude of tapes and photos were produced of the two together, which proved that they knew each other well enough for Bush to refer to Lay by the pet nickname "Kenny Boy."
I always had to laugh when I would read about what a wonderful, kind, likable, generous man he was because I knew that couldn't really be true - of anyone in such a position - and then we saw the real man at the trial: irritable, combative, haughty, arrogant, condescending. People are so gullible.
Now that he's dead and no one can be sued for defamation, people are coming out of the woodwork to say that they knew him when he was president of Transco 25 years ago or Houston Natural Gas after that and that he was always known to be unethical and dishonest and that what happened at Transco could have been easily predicted.
So maybe there isn't any basis for paranoia, but I'm sure there will be a spate of conspiracy theorists with books out on it at any moment! (Hmmmm -- how to cash in?) After all, maybe Cheney didn't want Kenny Boy to spill the beans about his secret energy policy advisory council.
At least his family will be spared the cost of the appeal.