By Connie Guglielmo, Forbes Staff Billionaire investor and activist Carl Icahn called on a special committee of Dell’s board, which earlier today rejected a $26.6 billion buyout plan proposed by Michael Dell, to let a shareholder vote on the issue take place this Friday and put an end to the “Dell debacle.” Icahn , in an open letter to the PC makers board, said he’s “pleased” that Michael Dell’s $13.75 a share offer has been turned down, but noted that “the Special Committee has proposed to change the record date for the special meeting of stockholders, which would further delay the stockholder vote that was first scheduled for July 18.  To that proposal, we say:  Enough!  The stockholders have spoken – and they do not want to be frozen out by Michael Dell/Silver Lake.  Let the vote happen on Friday.  Michael Dell has said he is “at peace either way”.  We are glad to hear it! It is time to let the proposed freeze-out merger die.” Here’s the text of the letter by Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management, one of Dell’s top shareholders and a vocal opponent of Michael Dell’s plan to take the company private with partner Silver Lake. LET THE DESPERATE DELL DEBACLE DIE Dear Fellow Dell Stockholders and Dell Special Committee: Today we read that the Dell Special Committee will not accept Michael Dell/Silver Lake’s request to amend the stockholder approval requirement previously agreed to by Dell, Michael Dell and Silver Lake. We are pleased to see that the Special Committee heeded our advice. But now, the Special Committee has proposed to change the record date for the special meeting of stockholders, which would further delay the stockholder vote that was first scheduled for July 18. To that proposal, we say: Enough! The stockholders have spoken – and they do not want to be frozen out by Michael Dell/Silver Lake. Let the vote happen on Friday. Michael Dell has said he is “at peace either way”. We are glad to hear it! It is time to let the proposed freeze-out merger die.  If the Special Committee fails to heed our advice to hold the Special Meeting on Friday and let the stockholders finally vote after six months of uncertainty, and instead, they decide to reset the record date and schedule the Special Meeting for the fourth time, it is imperative, AS WE HAVE REQUESTED FOR MONTHS, that Dell also hold the Annual Meeting on that same day and at the same time. LET’S MOVE FORWARD TO END THIS UNCERTAINTY The Dell Board needs to immediately set a record date for the Annual Meeting and announce the date for the Annual Meeting. The current Dell directors have been sitting for over a year. We believe that the Dell Board has a fiduciary obligation to ensure stockholders have the opportunity to make their choice: Do stockholders want to continue with the incumbent directors who have supported what we believe is an undervalued merger with the company’s founder, largest stockholder and CEO?  OR Do stockholders want to …read more

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