Senator Gramm attributed his decision to his wife's service on the Enron board.

But, a committee of the Enron board has concluded, the partnerships were eventually used to improperly manipulate the company's earnings.

But as the Enron board now knows, such proposals that seem too good to be true are often exactly that.

But they remain on the Enron board.

The Enron board met that afternoon at 12:10, joined by a stern-looking, mustached man.

Some of that money, according to court records and a report compiled for the Enron board, was used to invest in Southampton.

Mr. Chan was among the six who said they would step down from the Enron board.

Mr. Lindsey was paid $50,000 in 2000 for work on an Enron advisory board.

But eventually, the transactions in the partnerships grew to be manipulative, according to a report by a special committee of the Enron board.

"I'm calling this meeting of the Enron board to order," Lay announced.