Russian Judge Extends Tycoon's Sentence New York Agrees to Settle a Case with a Financier
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FROM THE PAGES OF FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2010 from the pages of Midnight in New York © 2009 The New York Times Russian Judge Extends Tycoon’s Sentence New York Agrees MOSCOW — A judge on symbol of Medvedev’s inability to politicians are rarely, if ever, held Thursday sentenced Mikhail B. make significant progress on his accountable for misdeeds. to Settle a Case Khodorkovsky, the Russian ty- pledges. Yet, with most of the news coon who was imprisoned in 2003 “I expected a guilty verdict, but media cowed by official pres- after defying Vladimir V. Putin, I didn’t expect such a tough sen- sure, and opposition groups sup- With a Financier to an additional six years. It was tence,” said Leonid Y. Gozman, pressed, people are skeptical a politically tinged decision that co-chairman of Right Cause, a about the possibility of attaining The financier Steven L. Rattner undermined President Dmitri liberal party with close ties to redress. Medvedev has conceded has agreed to pay $10 million to set- A. Medvedev, who has vowed to the Kremlin. “This is shocking. that the country is plagued by tle civil charges that he engaged in revitalize the country’s deeply It was obviously a political, not a “legal nihilism,” but Putin has a kickback scheme involving New troubled legal system. judicial, decision. A verdict this seemed less bothered. York state’s pension fund, ending Khodorkovsky’s supporters harsh is going to resonate and In fact, the new sentence for a scathingly personal and public had asked Medvedev to inter- be perceived very negatively for Khodorkovsky was considered monthlong feud between Rattner vene in the case, which has rein- Medvedev, and for what he has an unambiguous signal that Pu- and the New York attorney general, forced widespread concerns that been trying to accomplish.” tin, now prime minister, remains Andrew M. Cuomo. the Russian authorities readily While the Khodorkovsky trial in control of the country in ad- Under the settlement announced manipulate law enforcement and has attracted worldwide atten- vance of a presidential election in Thursday — just two days before the judiciary for political pur- tion, the everyday failings in the 2012, which he might enter. Putin, Cuomo becomes New York’s gov- poses. But Medvedev refused, Russian legal system are perva- who was president from 2000 to ernor — Rattner will pay restitution and Khodorkovsky’s second trial sive. Nearly two decades after 2008, has repeatedly declared to the state pension fund and will be on embezzlement charges — his the collapse of Communism, cor- that Khodorkovsky, 47, is nothing barred from appearing in any ca- current sentence ran to 2011 — ruption is endemic, government more than a violent criminal. pacity before a public pension fund appeared to end as it began: as a power is often abused and senior CLIFFORD J. LEVY within the state for five years. He did not admit any wrongdoing. The surprise settlement extracts As E.P.A. Moves on Emissions, Fight Has Risks from Rattner less than the attorney general initially sought. In two law- WASHINGTON — With the so stumble by moving too aggres- change legislation essentially suits filed last month, Cuomo sought federal government set to regu- sively to handcuff the Environ- called his bluff. to recover $26 million and to impose late climate-altering gases from mental Protection Agency, pro- With Obama’s hand forced by upon Rattner a lifetime ban from the factories and power plants for the voking a popular outcry that they the mandates of the Clean Air Act New York securities industry. first time beginning on Sunday, are endangering public health. and a 2007 Supreme Court deci- For Rattner, the settlement al- the Obama administration and President Obama vowed as a can- sion, his E.P.A. will impose the lows him to escape the harsh spot- the new Congress are headed for didate that he would put the Unit- first regulation of major station- light he has felt since the spring of a clash that carries substantial ed States on a path to addressing ary sources of greenhouse gases 2009, when the Securities and Ex- risks for both sides. climate change by reducing emis- starting Jan. 2. change Commission filed a lawsuit The administration is on notice sions of carbon dioxide and other “If the administration gets it that detailed his alleged improper that if it moves too far and too fast greenhouse gas pollutants. He wrong, we’re looking at years of dealings with the New York state in trying to curtail the ubiquitous offered Congress wide latitude litigation, legislation and public pension fund. The S.E.C. and Ratt- gases that are heating the planet to pass climate change legisla- and business outcry,” said a se- ner reached a separate settlement it risks a Congressional backlash tion, but always held in reserve nior administration official who in October, with Rattner paying that could set back the effort for the threat of E.P.A. regulation if it asked not to be identified. “If we $6.2 million and agreeing to a two- years. But the newly muscular failed to act. The deeply polarized get it right, we’re facing the same year ban from work in certain Wall Republicans in Congress could al- Senate’s refusal to enact climate thing.” JOHN M. BRODER Street businesses. (NYT) ADVERTISEMENT ® 274 6391 5381 JOHN T. WATERS 12/10 THRU 12/11 01 FALCON 2000EX/2000 InternAtIOnAl FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2010 2 Clinton Defender Defends Himself Over Clients In Brief WASHINGTON — After de- Obama. Still, his role in West Af- representation of the Ivory Coast cades of work for some of this rica has stoked growing criticism became an issue. And he is push- Israel Discovers country’s most powerful lobbying that Davis has become a kind of ing back with some of the same Major Gas Field firms, Lanny J. Davis, the lawyer front man for the dark side, willing message-molding that earned who once helped defend Presi- to take on some of the world’s least him a label as a “spinmeister par Exploratory drilling off Is- dent Clinton from impeachment, noble companies and causes. excellence.” He says he’s lining rael’s northern coast this week is suddenly scrambling to defend Many lobbying firms have cli- up State Department officials, has confirmed the existence of a himself. ents with checkered records. In- congressmen and business lead- major natural gas field — one of Since leaving the White House, deed, those are the people who ers to testify about how much he’s the world’s largest offshore gas Davis has built a client list that need help the most in Washington. helped them. finds of the past decade — lead- now includes coup supporters in But many activists — and even Mostly, however, he’s single- ing the country’s infrastructure Honduras, a dictator in Equato- some government officials — said handedly flooding the zone, writ- minister to call it “the most im- rial Guinea, for-profit colleges ac- the list of clients in Davis’s firm ing long, detailed responses to portant energy news since the cused of exploiting students, and stands out. reporters and columnists, and founding of the state.” Houston- a company that dominates the “You look at who he represents, making himself available to any- based Noble Energy in coopera- manufacture of additives for in- and the list is just almost unseem- one and everyone interested in tion with several Israeli partner fant formula. Earlier this month, ly, tawdry,” said Meredith McGe- directly hearing his side of his companies said that the field, he agreed to represent the Ivory hee, a lobbyist for California WIC story. named Leviathan, has at least Coast strongman whose claims Association, which represents “My credibility is the only thing 16 trillion cubic feet of gas at a to that country’s presidency have agencies that serve poor women I have,” he said Thursday. “If I de- likely market value of tens of been condemned by the interna- with infant children, and who fend people in indefensible, cor- billions of dollars and should tional community, and may even faced off against Davis this year in rupt acts then I lose everything I turn Israel into an energy ex- set off a civil war. the fight over baby formula, which have, and I’m just another gun for porter. Israel has had a long his- Davis withdrew from his his client won. “It is an illustra- hire. But when I see that I can help tory of dependence on foreign $100,000-a-month contract with tion of what most of the American get out the facts, and improve peo- energy. (NYT) the Ivory Coast on Wednesday people think of as wrong with ple’s lives, and peacefully resolve night, saying that the embattled Washington.” conflicts, then I feel an obligation Vatican Creates government refused to accept his Davis says he is aware of the to do so.” GINGER THOMPSON suggestion to talk to President criticism, particularly since his and ERIC LIPTON Financial Watchdog The Vatican on Thursday created a financial watchdog agency and issued new laws to Former Israeli President Katsav Convicted of Rape fight money laundering and ter- JERUSALEM — An Israeli es against Katsav while he was any wrongdoing, and his lawyers rorist financing in a major ef- court convicted the country’s still the head of state. said it was possible that he would fort to shed its image as a tax former president, Moshe Katsav, “Never before has a president in appeal the ruling to the Supreme haven that for years has been of two counts of forcible rape on the democratic world been found Court.