1% of the 1% at Bohemian Grove- the Outlaw Elite

1% of the 1% at Bohemian Grove- the Outlaw Elite

Compiled and edited by Don Eichelberger, with help from Wikipedia and other Internet resources and assorted co-conspirators

In my youth, I sometimes ran with bikers out in the Big Valley. Biker vests almost always flew the 1% patch, a proud symbol of the 1% of humanity who self-identify as “outlaws”, who disregard the laws made by and for “the Man”, and enjoy the power of the road between their legs. (paraphrasing Hunter S. Thompson, “The Hell's Angels”)

As I started helping organize protests at Bohemian Grove in the early-'80's, it became apparent to me that the 1% transcended class. I began to suspect that there was a sub-set of these powerful men- maybe 1%- who consciously stood outside the law and most enjoyed the power between their legs.

Seizure of the Bohemian Club, with its annual mid-Summer encampment at the Grove, by the forces of finance date to the heady days leading up to the Great Depression. If you were a friend of Herbert Hoover, you could probably get in to the “greatest men's party on earth”, pushing aside the newspaper men who founded it some 50 years prior. Indeed, every Republican President since Hoover has been a member of and gotten the nod (and considerable financial and media support) from the boys at the Grove to run. That could change this year. It will be interesting to see if any of the Republican presidential hopefuls shows. Gingrich spoke there in 1995.

So, should we still worry? Maybe Boho clout has gone? Is it bad just to be rich? Do we exaggerate our claims of the power of these men to mold world finance more to their liking in a coordinated way?

The importance of the Grove in world politics exploded before us as we organized the first Grove action in 1980. The 1980's was, of course, the Time of Reagan, ushered in by split-screen visions of American hostages being released in Tehran concurrent with Ronald Reagan taking his presidential oath. It proved, indeed, a primer for how elections have come to be run since.

If it were merely business men getting away from business woes, our concerns would be far less. But including highest level politicians, whose main job is arguably raising vast and increasing amounts of money to win elections, meeting essentially in secret with many of the richest men in the world, men with big agendas, should raise flags. Richard Nixon said it was a moving speech he heard at a Lakeside Chat at the Grove that inspired his first run for office. (“Memoirs”)

As our first Bohemian Grove protest progressed in those two weeks in 1980, we could see the frenzy with which this “ruling elite” embraced the promise of a Reagan presidency. “At last”, they told us, “the invisible hand of the free market would be released!”

In Fall, 1980, the first American junta (the second was W in 2000) installed Reagan, Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, French-Smith, Schultz, Weinberger, Haig, and many other of their Bohemian Brethren to run the country, and that story has been oft-told. And what they have done to the country since then is apparent.

In the intervening three decades, Bohemians have remained active in helping further the concentration of power and money that created the 99%, who have practically none of it. From media moguls to political action committees, heads of finance, and those willing to do the dirty work, they are at the Grove, holding on to the levers of power.

Strolling through the old growth “timber”, sitting around the campfires discussing art, music, current events, lever pullers will be seen, like John Kluge, founder of Metromedia. He sold Metromedia to Ruport Murdoch in 1986.Metromedia was the base of the Fox Television Network. 1987, he was the Richest man in America. Telecommunication corporations like AT&T, Sprint and AOL are represented here, as well (see below).

Another Boho is Charles Koch- co-founder of Cato Institute in 1977. He and his brother, David, Libertarian Vice-Presidential candidate in 1980, helped found the Citizens for a Sound Economy in 1984, and its spin-off Americans for Prosperity in 2004. The brothers have given more than $196 million to dozens of free-market and advocacy organizations, in addition to over $600 million to arts, science, and educational organizations. Tax records indicate that in 2008 the three main Koch family foundations gave money to 34 political and policy organizations, three of which they founded, and several of which they direct.

Of course, the grandest wizard of all: Heinz Alfred "Henry " Kissinger, former secretary of state, credited with “opening China”, cut his teeth in counterintelligence, helping incorporate ex-Nazis in to the U.S. Intelligence apparatus in the Eastern Block. He went on to become the right-hand man to Nelson Rockefeller during the 1968 Republican nomination campaign. He was Nixon's National Security Advisor 1969-1973. His dossier is too extensive to relate here. Just to say he is still active in international finance through Kissinger Associates, which he founded in 1982, a secretive consulting firm to international corporations. Some of the first members to join Kissinger Associates were Brent Scowcroft (vice-chairman), and Lawrence Eagleburger (president). He is also past Chairman of the International Advisory Board of the American International Group (AIG), a partner of Kissinger Associates. Also chairman of the Advisory Boards of AIG Asian Infrastructure Funds I & II and a director of AIG Global. He also sat on the board of Salomon Brothers.

Other less known Bohemians include Kissinger's friend, Maurice Raymond "Hank" Greenberg, an American business executive and former chairman and CEO of American International Group (AIG) and CEO of C.V. Starr & Co., Inc. (C.V. Starr), a diversified financial services firm that is named for the founder of AIG, Cornelius Vander Starr. Greenberg held the position until 2005, when he stepped down amid a major leadership scandal. Greenberg was both a social friend and client of Henry Kissinger utilizing his consultancy, Kissinger Associates, for advice and operations in a number of countries, particularly in Asia. In 1987 he appointed Kissinger as chairman of AIG's International Advisory Board.

In June, 2003, Bohemian Philip J. Carroll was appointed by fellow Bohemian, George W. Bush as Chief adviser to Iraq's Oil Ministry. How convenient. Carroll became the CEO of Shell Oil between 1993-1998, when he became the Chairman and CEO of Fluor Corporation, an engineering and construction services firm until 2002. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of the British defense company BAE Systems. Carroll is a member of the Board of Directors of other companies, including American Express. Phillip Carroll is an honorary life member of the board of the American Petroleum Institute, and the James A. Baker III (a fellow Boho) Institute for Public Policy.

Tully M. Friedman is the chairman and chief executive officer of Friedman Fleischer & Lowe LLC (a private investment firm). Prior to forming Friedman Fleischer & Lowe in 1997, Mr. Friedman was a founding partner of Hellman & Friedman (a private investment firm specializing in leveraged buyouts) and a managing director of Salomon Brothers, Inc. He is also a member of the executive committee, a trustee and the treasurer of the American Enterprise Institute.

Sports mogul Carmen Policy, SF 49ers front man is the “circuses” part of “bread and circuses”. Mickey Hart and Bobby Weir of the Grateful Dead fall in that category, though some would say they are the only true Bohemians in the place. Spike the cool-aid, boys!

Samuel Haydan Armacost, was adviser to the State Department's Office of Monetary Affairs 1971-1972, director and later chairman Stanford Research Institute International, president, director and chief executive officer Bank of America 1981-1986, managing director Merrill Lynch Capital Markets 1987-1990, managing director Weiss, Peck & Greer L.L.C. 1990-1998, director ChevronTexaco since 2001. Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Stephen D. Bechtel, Sr. Mandalay His father died under strange circumstances during vacation in Moscow. The Bechtel Company is a privately owned construction behemoth operating worldwide and headquartered in San Francisco; is a mainstay of the nuclear industry and oil refining. Bechtel designed the military space shuttle facility at Vandenburg Air Force Base. It is known for decades for its many boondoggles all over the world. Bechtel had been rescued in its time of need by J. Henry Schroder and Avery Rockefeller. On June 3, 1954, the New York Times announced that Stephen Bechtel, chairman of Bechtel Corp. had become partner of J.P. Morgan Co. In 1955, Fortune reported that as Under Secretary of State, C. Douglas Dillon (brokerage firm Dillon Read) had arranged important contracts for Bechtel with the Saudi Arabian government, culminating in the present $135 billion Jubail operation.

Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr. Mandalay Chairman of the Bechtel Corporation. Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Riley P. Bechtel, Mandalay Personal fortune of 3 billion. University of Calif Davis, Bachelor of Arts / Science Stanford University, Masters of Business Administration. Great-granddad Warren started construction colossus Bechtel Group building railroads in 1890s Oklahoma Territory. Later: Hoover Dam, Oakland Bay Bridge. Dad Stephen Jr. took reins in 1960, built nuclear plants, Alaska pipeline, Channel Tunnel and BART, among other things. Riley is now learning the ropes. Member of the Trilateral Commission. Member of the International Council of J.P. Morgan Chase, together with Kissinger, Andre Desmarais, Lee Kuan Yew (Bohemian Grove), and others. It is headed by George Shultz, a Bechtel employee.

Henry Kearns, Mandalay A good friend of Stephen Bechtel Sr. Chairman of the Export-Import Bank 1969-1973 (resigned after an inquiry had been started). Under Kearns’ chairmanship of the Import-Export bank, Bechtel received numerous lucrative contracts. Kearns also convinced the board that approval of loans should be relaxed. Thereafter, Kearns could personally approve loans of US $30 million or less directly to Bechtel. During Stephen Bechtel Sr.’s tenure on the board, the Export-Import Bank lent hundreds of millions of dollars to several countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Brazil, Egypt, and Algeria for the financing of Bechtel-related projects.

Nicholas Frederick Brady, joined Dillon, Read & Company, Inc. in New York in 1954, rising to Chairman of the Board. Brady served in the United States Senate in 1982. During that time he was a member of the Armed Services Committee and the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. In 1984 President Reagan appointed Brady to be Chairman of the President's Commission on Executive, Legislative and Judicial Salaries. He has also served on the President's Commission on Strategic Forces (1983), the National Bipartisan Commission on Central America (1983), the Commission on Security and Economic Assistance (1983), and the Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management (1985). Brady chaired the Presidential Task Force on Market Mechanisms (1987). He became the 68th Secretary of the Treasury in 1988 and was also in charge of the secret service in this way during the White House male prostitution scandal in 1989. He is said to have been the president of Bohemian Grove camp Mandalay. Member of the Knights of Malta. Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

William T. Esrey, Chairman of the Board, Spectra Energy Corp, appointed as Chairman of (Forbes) Board effective as of the 2009 Annual Meeting. Mr. Esrey was elected as Chairman Emeritus of SprintCorporation, a diversified telecommunications holding company, upon his retirement in May 2003. Prior to that, he served as its Chief Executive Officer from 1985 to March 2003, and as its Chairman from 1990 to May 2003. Mr. Esrey served as a director of Duke Energy (major nuclear investments) from 1985 to January 2007. He also served as Chairman of Japan Telecom from November 2003 until its sale in July 2004. During his time as CEO and Chairman with Sprint, Esrey was paid an average of $25.5million per annum, including cash, bonuses and stock options. Most of this "income" was in stock options whose value was not realized due to the tech crash in 2000. Esrey earned a seven-figure salary, with annual bonuses ranging from $220,000 to $1.38 million.

It was at this point that the accounting firm Ernst & Young, Sprint's auditors, offered Esrey and Sprint COO Ron LeMay a scheme whereby the income taxes on their stock-option profits disappear for 30 years. Esrey and LeMay handed Ernst & Young $5.8 million to set up a tax shelter for their option income. But the tax shelter was not legal according to the IRS. Esrey and LeMay found they could owe over $100 million in taxes. Sprint asked Esrey and LeMay to resign, releasing LeMay with just $190,400 in severance each month for the next eighteen months, and consulting fees that brought his total exit package to $5.8 million. Sprint formally announced Esrey’s departure with a package worth at least $10.5 million.

James V. Kimsey- Founding CEO and Chairman Emeritus of America Online. In 2005, Kimsey met with Generals John Abizaid and Wayne Downing regarding the Iraq war. "I told Wayne, 'I'm going to send all these guys [in charge] a copy of 'The Godfather.' . . . You've got to think like the Mafia thinks. No, it isn't going to be fair. You're going to whack 'em at home. You're going to do stuff to their families. You've got to play dirty. You've got to get in bed with dirty people. . . . Wayne knows how to think like that." - (to General Downing, regarding strategies for dealing with al Qaeda. Annie Bowen, "The Wright Way" Washington Post, August 2005 via Wikipedia)

What would you pay to sit around the bonfire and sip cocktails with the men above or others too numerous to mention, including presidents like George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, war profiteers like Richard B. 'Dick' Cheney, US Fed and World Bank leaders like Paul A. Volcker and Alden Winship "Tom" Clausen, advisers to presidents, including Donald H. Rumsfeld, George P. Shultz, and the list goes on...?

We have asked, and ask again: Should these men and their accomplishments represent America's best, or can we do better? This summary touches on just one facet- the econopolitics- of a very powerful society, where political power and economic wealth unify behind a green curtain where they feel free each year to perform a ritual sacrifice of something all too rare in this day- Care.

Their ceremonies, rituals and traditions reveal men with deep regard for secrecy, competitiveness, the bottom line and an open marketplace. They obviously believe in symbolism (Weaving spiders come not here.).

Would it hurt to bring more Care to the marketplace? Most outlaws couldn't care less.