During Jeff Skilling’s trial, there was a moment I found absolutely maddening. Cliff Baxter’s widow testified briefly for the defense. When it was Kathy Ruemmler’s turn to cross-examine her, she asked Mrs. Baxter, “Did you ever work at Enron Corporation?”
Mrs. Baxter answered, “No.”
Kathy Ruemmler had no further questions.
This seems to me the stupidest question she could have asked. Carol Baxter may not have worked at the company but surely she was closer to her husband, Cliff Baxter, than any other person. Surely she knew from him what was happening at the company.
But Kathy Ruemmler didn’t work at Enron Corp. either and furthermore, she never had an inside track on the company. All she knows of it came from her prosecution witnesses.
Mrs. Baxter was far too polite to point this out, of course.
