Enron: A Fun Place to Work

In his redirect examination of Kenneth L. Lay, defense lawyer George "Mac" Secrest is diving into an employee survey that Lay commissioned when he returned to the company in August 2001. Of about 30,000 employees, Lay said he got more than 3,000 responses.

Secrest is trying to prove that Enron was not filled with malcontents, whistleblowers and employees appalled by their bosses' behavior.

"Enron's a great place to work," wrote on of the anonymous employees surveyed. "I am committed to its success as are the vast number of people" here.

Lay said pollster Frank Luntz was commissioned to do the survey, and Luntz concluded that, to paraphrase, employees believed that if an initiative comes from Lay, it will work. If not, it will fail.

Another survey respondent wrote to acknowledge that the company was taking a "hit in public opinion" for "matters out of our control, like California," referring to the California energy crisis of 2000. Evidence now exists, of course, showing that Enron traders gamed the system during the California crisis to keep electricity supply low, thus boosting prices to the benefit of Enron.

By Frank Ahrens |  May 1, 2006; 5:36 PM ET  | Category:  Dispatches
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