1.   Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary, said that Bush had also not talked to Lay since the spring.

2.   Commerce Secretary Don Evans recently said that he had talked to Lay about losses at the Dabhol plant.

3.   Many members of Congress are eager to talk to Lay, the man who had headed the energy company throughout its spectacular rise and stunning collapse.

4.   Over the past few weeks the White House has revealed that a number of top administration officials talked to Lay.