Maybe President Bush fainted after he read this informative piece by Joshua Micah Marshall -- which provides more than a few details about the Enron scandal.

Pardon me Josh for reprinting it here, but stuff like this is too good to keep quiet about.

Wondering how many Bush administration (Senate-confirmed) appointees owned stock in Enron? Or how much they owned? Or what business relationships they had with the company? Well, hey, you came to the right place!

Now it's important to keep in mind that most of these folks listed below just owned stock in the company, which probably only means they got suckered and cleaned out by the company brass like a lot of other people.

But then if some of them cashed in their stock a few months ago (which next year's disclosures will tell us) based on inside information ... well, that would be another matter entirely.

Appointee: Kathleen B. Cooper Title: Undersec. for Economic Affairs Department: Commerce Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,001

Appointee: Thomas C. Dorr Title: Under Sec. for Rural Development Department: USDA Relationship: (1) Enron stock $1,001-$15,001 (MG Dorr IFT), (2) Enron stock $1,001-$15,001 (Roth IRA)

Appointee: Emil H. Frankel Title: Asst. Sec. for Transportation Policy Department: Transportation Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Eugene Hickok Jr. Title: Undersecretary Department: Education Relationship: (1) Spouse Katherine Hickok Rev. Trust: Enron stock $15,001-$50,000 value, $5,001-$15,000 dividends/capital gains; (2) Son Adam Eugene Hickok Trust: Enron stock $15,000-$50,000 value, $5,001-$15,000 dividends/capital gains; (3) Daughter Katherine C. Hickok Trust: Enron stock $15,001-$50,000 value, $5,001-$15,000 dividends/capital gains.

Appointee: Allen F. Johnson Title: Chief Agriculture Negotiator Department: US Trade Rep. Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: John H. Marburger Title: Director Department: Office of Science and Technology Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000 value, $201-$1,000 dividends

Appointee: Alice H. Martin Title: US Attorney, Northern District of Alabama Department: Justice Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Sandra L. Pack Title: Asst. Secretary Department: Army Relationship: Enron stock less than $1,001 value, $5,001-$15,000 capital gains.

Appointee: Robert Zoellick Title: US Trade Rep. Department: USTR Relationship: Enron stock $15,001-$50,000, Enron advisory fees $50,000

Appointee: Hansford T. Johnson Title: Asst. Sec. Department: Navy Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Donald H. Rumsfeld Title: Secretary Department: Defense Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: John E. Robson Title: Chairman/President Department: Export Import Bank Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Thomas Scully Title: Administrator Department: HCFA Relationship: Enron stock $15,001-$50,000

Appointee: Martin J. Silverstein Title: Ambassador to Uruguay Department: State Relationship: Enron stock $15,001-$50,000

Appointee: William Winkenwerder Title: Asst. Sec. Department: Defense Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Thomas E. White Title: Secretary of the Army Department: Defense Relationship: Former Vice-Chairman of Enron Energy Service; Enron Corp-common stock worth $25,000,001-50,000,000 that paid over $5,000,000 in dividends and capital gains; Enron Corp-stock options worth $25,000,001-50,000,000 that paid $100,001-1,000,000 in capital gains; Enron Corp Cash Balance Retirement Acct (Enron Stock will rollover into permissible property) worth $100,001-250,000 that paid less than $201 in dividends; Enron Corp-DLJ Private Equity Partners Fund II that paid $5,516,131.08 in salary; Enron Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Defined Contribution Plan Managed by Enron worth $1,000,001-5,000,000 that paid less than $201 dividends; Enron Phantom Stock Award worth $5,000,000-25,000,000 that paid less than $201 dividends; Enron Retirement Account (Enron Stock) worth less than $1,001 that paid less than $201 dividends; Agreements: Pursuant to provisions of employment agreement and routine practice of Enron Corp, given $1,000,000 in severance pay; The Phantom Stock Award in Enron (approximately 240,000 shares) were accelerated and paid out when he left Enron

Appointee: Mark Weinberger Title: Assistant Secretary (Tax Policy) Department: Treasury Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000 value, $201-1,000 dividends

Appointee: Vicky A. Bailey Title: Assistant Secretary, International Affairs & Domestic Policy Department: State Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Alexander Vershbow Title: Ambassador to Russia Department: State Relationship: Enron stock $50,001-$100,000 value, $201-1,000 dividends

Appointee: Marcelle M. Wahba Title: Ambassador to the UAE Department: State Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Steven M. Colloton Title: US Attorney (S.D. Iowa) Department: Justice Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: Richard J. Egan Title: Ambassador to Ireland Department: State Relationship: Enron Partial Sale Value: $250,000-500,000 Dividends: $5,001-15,000 Capital Gains: $100,001-1,000,000

Enron Corporation (SOLD) Value: Less than $1,001 Dividends: $201-1,000

Egan's spouse: The following is owned through his wife's Lawhill Capital fund for the year 2000:

Enron Gas & Oil 15,679 US G/L

Enron Corp. Lost 12,429 US G/L

Appointee: Donald W. Washington Title: US Attorney (W.D. Louisiana) Department: Justice Relationship: Enron stock $1,001-$15,000

Appointee: John Prince Title: Ambassador to Mauritius, Comoros, Seychelles Department: State Relationship: Enron stock through four direct/indirect sources: (1) less than $1,000; (2) $15,001-$50,000; (3) $1,001-$15,000; (4) $15,001-$50,000.

Appointee: William Schubert Title: Administrator, Maritime Administration Department: Transportation Relationship: Project Consulting Services for Enron, paid over $5,000

Appointee: Bruce Carnes Title: CFO Department: US Dept of Energy Relationship: Enron Stock $1,000 - $15,000

Appointee: John S. Wolf Title: Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation Department: Dept of State Relationship: Enron Stock $50,000 - $100,000

Appointee: Linnet Deily Title: Deputy Department: Office of the Trade Representative Relationship: Enron Stock $15,000 - $50,000

Appointee: Nils J. Diaz Title: Commissioner Department: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Relationship: Enron Stock $1,000 - $15,000

Appointee: George L. Argyros Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Spain and Andorra Department: State Relationship: Enron Stock $100,000 - $250,000; $1,000 - $15,000

Appointee: Charlotte L. Beers (Beadleston - married name) Title: Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Department: State Relationship: Enron Stock $100,000 - $250,000

Appointee: Stephen F. Brauer Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Belgium Department: State Relationship: Enron Common Stock $50,000 - $100,000

Maybe reporters covering the relevant departments should ask some questions.

-- Josh Marshall

I'm asking Josh. I'm asking.