Lodwrick Cook (with Carole D.)
March 5, 2001 Party lines don't hamper Lodwrick Cook. As chairman of the Atlantic Richfield Company, Cook was one of the most generous supporters of the first President Bush, giving more than $860,000 to Republicans through his energy company. At the time, Cook was pushing for expanded drilling in Alaska and new clean air rules that would boost sales of reformulated gasoline -- both policies supported by Bush. In 1992, Cook hosted a gala luncheon at the Republican National Convention that raised $4 million. When Bush lost to Bill Clinton in 1992, Cook didn't miss a step. Only five months after Clinton took office, Cook penned a letter to Time, taking the magazine to task for its criticism of the White House. "Mr. Clinton has been reduced to caricature by the media -- for what purpose?" Cook wrote. "By weakening the presidency, we weaken ourselves as a nation." A year later, Clinton presented Cook with a birthday cake -- and eventually delivered an even more lavish gift to Atlantic Richfield. Clinton opened up Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve; Arco won 99 of the 133 tracts up for bid. By then Cook had moved on to his latest business endeavor, Global Crossing Ltd. As co-chairman, Cook coordinates the company's legislative affairs, raising money for candidates and pushing for undersea cable contracts and changes in bankruptcy and antitrust rules in return. "As long as it's legal, we're going to be a player," he recently told the New York Times. Staying true to form, Cook supported the younger George Bush this year. But with his company, he made sure Democratic politicians were covered as well. Global Crossing Development, a subsidiary, gave at least $475,000 to the Democratic Party. -- Michael Scherer | | |
