|
|
Article: Push into politics cited for Russian tycoon's fall.
- Article from:
- Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
- Article date:
- November 15, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Chicago Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Alex Rodriguez
MOSCOW _ The Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, long has been regarded as a rubber stamp for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The pro-Kremlin United Russia Party ramrods Putin's initiatives through, almost always with scarcely a whimper from the chamber's fragmented, outnumbered opposition.
Putin's clout in the Duma has been nearly impenetrable. Nearly.
Oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky found the fissures. Over the last year, Putin has been trying to push through legislation that clips the power and profits of Russia's major oil companies. Every bill has been weakened or killed by Khodorkovsky's lobbying.
...