James R. Bath
Encyclopedia
James Reynolds Bath is a former director of Bank of Credit and Commerce International
(BCCI), and also former part owner of Arbusto Energy
with George W. Bush
, with whom Bath served as a member of the Texas
Air National Guard
during the Vietnam War
. He has business interests in the aircraft business and real estate.
Bath, a native of Nachitoches, Louisiana, moved to Houston in 1965 to join the Texas Air National Guard
as a 29-year old. In the late 1960s, after working for Atlantic Aviation, Bath moved to Houston and became an aircraft broker.
Bath got his start in real estate in 1973 by forming a partnership with Lloyd Bentsen
's son, Lan, in Bath Bentsen Interests. In 1978, Bath became a Director of the Main Bank, based in Houston, Texas
. His fellow investors were John Connally
; Saudi financier Ghaith Pharaon
; and Mahfouz. Also at this time, he founded JB&A Aviation, a corporate aviation brokerage firm, along with fellow businessmen Johnson Taylor and Jerry Smith.
In 1980, Bath was named company president of Cotopax Investments, registered in the Cayman Islands
. The name was changed to Skyway Aircraft Leasing Ltd. The company board then resigned en masse, leaving Bath as a sole director. The company acted as a supplier of large passenger and air cargo jets.
Bath founded Southwest Airport Services
to manage the Houston Gulf Airport
, and to provide military fueling services at Ellington Field
.
Bath's discharge
from the National Guard and his relationships to the bin Laden family, the Bush family, and Arbusto were among the allegations discussed in Michael Moore
's 2004 documentary film
Fahrenheit 9/11
, as well as his 2003 book Dude, Where's My Country?
. These topics are also explored in Greg Palast
's 2002 book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy
and 2004 film Bush Family Fortunes, as well as Russ Baker
's 2009 book Family of Secrets.
Jim Bath lived in River Oaks, Houston with his wife, Sandra. Their house was behind the house of Khalid bin Mahfouz
.
Bank of Credit and Commerce International
The Bank of Credit and Commerce International was a major international bank founded in 1972 by Agha Hasan Abedi, a Pakistani financier. The Bank was registered in Luxembourg with head offices in Karachi and London. Within a decade BCCI touched its peak...
(BCCI), and also former part owner of Arbusto Energy
Arbusto Energy
Arbusto Energy was a petroleum and energy company formed in Midland, Texas, in 1977, for former US President George W. Bush by a group of investors which included Dorothy Bush, Lewis Lehrman, William Henry Draper III, Bill Gammell, and James R. Bath. The company's chief financial officer was K...
with George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, with whom Bath served as a member of the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. He has business interests in the aircraft business and real estate.
Bath, a native of Nachitoches, Louisiana, moved to Houston in 1965 to join the Texas Air National Guard
Texas Air National Guard
The Texas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Texas and a component of the Texas Military Forces...
as a 29-year old. In the late 1960s, after working for Atlantic Aviation, Bath moved to Houston and became an aircraft broker.
Bath got his start in real estate in 1973 by forming a partnership with Lloyd Bentsen
Lloyd Bentsen
Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. was a four-term United States senator from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ticket. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1955. In his later political life, he was Chairman of the Senate...
's son, Lan, in Bath Bentsen Interests. In 1978, Bath became a Director of the Main Bank, based in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. His fellow investors were John Connally
John Connally
John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in...
; Saudi financier Ghaith Pharaon
Ghaith Pharaon
Ghaith Rashad Pharaon, is a prominent Saudi businessman and financier.-Background:...
; and Mahfouz. Also at this time, he founded JB&A Aviation, a corporate aviation brokerage firm, along with fellow businessmen Johnson Taylor and Jerry Smith.
In 1980, Bath was named company president of Cotopax Investments, registered in the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
. The name was changed to Skyway Aircraft Leasing Ltd. The company board then resigned en masse, leaving Bath as a sole director. The company acted as a supplier of large passenger and air cargo jets.
Bath founded Southwest Airport Services
Southwest Airport Services
Southwest Airport Services is a defense fuels contractor that operates out of a facility at Ellington Field in the U.S. state of Texas. It offers services such as on-site car rentals, computerized weather systems and high-speed Internet access...
to manage the Houston Gulf Airport
Houston Gulf Airport
Houston Gulf Airport was a single-runway airport located in eastern League City, Texas, United States. Its FAA code was SPX and its IATA code was also SPX.- History :...
, and to provide military fueling services at Ellington Field
Ellington Field
Ellington International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the U.S. state of Texas within the city of Houston— southeast of Downtown. Established by the Army Air Service on 21 May 1917, Ellington Field was one of the initial World War I Army Air Service installations when...
.
Bath's discharge
Military discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
from the National Guard and his relationships to the bin Laden family, the Bush family, and Arbusto were among the allegations discussed in Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
's 2004 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11 is a 2004 documentary film by American filmmaker and political commentator Michael Moore. The film takes a critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush, the War on Terror, and its coverage in the news media...
, as well as his 2003 book Dude, Where's My Country?
Dude, Where's My Country?
Dude, Where's My Country? is a 2003 book by Michael Moore dealing with corporate and political events in the United States. The title is a takeoff of the 2000 film Dude, Where's My Car?....
. These topics are also explored in Greg Palast
Greg Palast
Gregory Allyn Palast is a New York Times-bestselling author and a freelance journalist for the British Broadcasting Corporation as well as the British newspaper The Observer. His work frequently focuses on corporate malfeasance but has also been known to work with labor unions and consumer...
's 2002 book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy is a 2002 book written by investigative journalist Greg Palast. It is about corporate corruption, global capitalism, environmental destruction, third world exploitation, freedom of speech and political corruption, and the United States presidential election of 2000...
and 2004 film Bush Family Fortunes, as well as Russ Baker
Russ Baker
Russ Baker is a US investigative journalist and founder of the nonprofit website . His recurring themes are politics, secrecy, and abuses of power. His recent writings have focused on elites in finance, resource extraction, military and intelligence operations, and their quiet influence over...
's 2009 book Family of Secrets.
Jim Bath lived in River Oaks, Houston with his wife, Sandra. Their house was behind the house of Khalid bin Mahfouz
Khalid bin Mahfouz
Khalid bin Mahfouz was a wealthy Saudi Arabian businessman residing in Ireland. He was accused of supporting al-Qaeda.As of 2002, he was believed to be confined in a hospital in Taif by Saudi authorities...
.