pdq,

it's actually not easy to verify at all. If you do a search on google, you find this assertion turning up mostly on sites that call Kerry "Ketchup Boy" and his wife "Terry Kerry."

In any case, even the assertion turns out to be pretty weak, and only speaks volumes if you believe in guilt by association. Kerry and Lay have nothing to do with one another.

(1) Remember that Heinz was a republican before she married Kerry. Ken Lay was on the foundation board for one two year term, starting almost ten years ago, when Theresa Heinz was the widow of a major REPUBLICAN Senator, before she married John Kerry. He did continue to serve after she married Kerry, but not for very long.

(2) In my line of work, I know many board members of many charitable foundations, and you know what? They're generally not picked for their politics, but because they will donate money and get their friends to do likewise. So basically Theresa got some of Kenny's money and his friends' money to go for environmental causes. Is that so bad? It's not like he was writing government policy--that came later!

Before you say the Heinz Foundation doesn't do any environmental work, know that I live in Philly which has a major wetlands bird sanctuary founded by Heinz. I don't think the egrets or bald eagles care too much if Ken Lay's money paid for their habitat.

(3) They are "frequent dining companions?" Come on, how stupid would it be for a presidential candidate to dine frequently with an indicted embezzler and symbol of corruption? I KNOW that one can't be true. It doesn't even MEAN anything until you define "frequent."

So tell me, Mr. St. Clair, how often do they dine together? You don't know? Somehow, that doesn't surprise me.

in short, pdq, this kind of assertion is exactly the kind of misleading crap the right puts out.

Right: Kerry was at a rally with Hanoi Jane!

Left: Kerry's wife had dealings with Kenny Boy Lay!

What do these facts tell us about Kerry? Precisely nothing.