Over my dead body, Strong replied. In 1993, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which had been involved in preparations for the Three Gorges since 1944, pulled out of the project, claiming it was neither economically nor environmentally feasible. The World Bank, notorious for its involvement in large dam schemes, noted in a September 1988 statement that the current design of the project is not economically viable. Engineering giant Bechtel Enterprises has also stated that it is not at all likely to pursue Three Gorges contracts because it feels the project is extremely controversial from an environmental perspective. The FEC found that, from 1986 to 1993, Prudential officers and employees used the company s resources and personnel to solicit contributions from its associates and employees at other securities firms.
Federal law prohibits corporations from making contributions to candidates for federal office.
This includes fundraising activities in which the company s employees solicit contributions at the company s expense. This case demonstrates that the Commission s enforcement priority system is working, says FEC Chair Trevor Potter. The FEC categorized the violations as knowing and willful in view of Prudential s previous involvement in a March 1987 case concerning the 1984 Presidential campaign of Senator John Glenn, D- Ohio. We believe the activities in question were undertaken in good faith by employees exercising their rights to participate in the electoral process, says a Prudential statement. Nevertheless, we have decided to settle these charges to put the matters behind us and remove any possible question about our commitment to adhering to the letter and spirit of the electoral laws.