The Big Picture | States Embarrassing the Feds, part II

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States Embarrassing the Feds, part II

Thursday, August 28, 2003 | 05:29 PM

Houston Chronicle shut out of 2 more hearings By MARY FLOOD
Fastow transcript still denied release,

A federal judge held two more closed hearings in the criminal case against Andrew Fastow and two other former Enron executives on Tuesday and refused to unseal the transcript of a July 28 hearing he also held in secret.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt said he might continue to close hearings if he thinks it necessary.

"There are matters that do not need to be discussed in public in ways that embarrasses or humiliates the government or the defense and particularly the court," he said.

I don't know who Judge Hoyt is, but he seems unqualified for the bench . . . At best, he's guilty of incredibly poor judgement -- not the shortcoming you want in a person who's job it is to exercise judgement . . .