Original Correspondence from Kenneth Lay and George W. Bush

Enron executive Kenneth Lay has been coy about the nature of his friendship with President George W. Bush, but the Freedom of Information Act just caught up with him. Pages of correspondence exchanged during Bush’s terms as governor of Texas were released February 15, The Smoking Gun reports, after various news organizations requested the information.

The Smoking Gun has taken those letters, scanned them, and posted them on their Web site. These 40 pages of handwritten memos and letters touch on such personal topics as Christmas tree ornaments, birthdays, and knee surgery, mixed in with concerns about business and energy legislation. In one letter, Bush jokes about Lay’s 55th birthday: “Wow! That is really old. Thank goodness you have such a young, beautiful wife.” In another, Lay reminds Bush that Enron is negotiating a $2 billion joint venture in Uzbekistan — and that Bush should remember that when the ambassador to Uzbekistan visits Texas.

The correspondence between Bush and Lay, along with the political contributions Enron made to Bush (his biggest career political contributor), makes it clear that Lay was more than a just a Bush “supporter.” Lay was Bush’s friend, and the correspondence, says The Smoking Gun, paints “a far cozier picture of their relationship.”
–Kate Garsombke
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