Lockyer Reflects State’s Frustration

Re “‘Hi, My Name Isn’t Justice, Honey,’ and Shame on Lockyer,” Commentary, June 6: Nobody in his or her right mind takes state Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer’s comments about what he would like to do with the Enron Corp. chairman literally. Obviously Lockyer is not condoning prison rape. I see Tom G. Palmer’s commentary as a demagogic attempt to seize the moral high ground. In fact, Lockyer, with his rather poor choice of hyperbole, was reflecting all Californians’ frustration and anger at the huge Texas energy cartel. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission needs to do its job instead of being a lackey for big energy.

Stephen Berk

Carlsbad

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Palmer is absolutely right when he suggests that Lockyer should be removed from office. For any public official to declare rape an acceptable form of punishment for anything is a heinous crime in itself. I do not want this man representing the justice system that is there to protect the people of California.

Melonie Matjeka

West Hills

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Why isn’t it criminal behavior when power producers’ profits quadruple because of supply manipulation and seniors cannot afford to turn on their air-conditioning in sweltering heat, or a traffic light goes out and causes a fatal accident? The attorney general is right in thinking it should be. In California, corporate managers who know of defects in products but do not disclose them are personally liable. Why shouldn’t this apply to energy producers who had to know that the “unscheduled maintenance” that shut down a record number of power plants would wreak havoc on Californians?

Kenneth Lay, chairman of Enron, which profited greatly from Californians’ pain, is at least guilty of fraud. We should applaud an attorney general who recognizes that the profiteering of corporate pirates is at least as criminal as the heists of convenience store thieves.

Jamie Court

Executive Director

Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights

Santa Monica