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Senators Dodd And Conrad, Cleared

The Senate Ethics Committee has ruled that Senators Chris Dodd and Kent Conrad did not violate any rules of conflict of interest by accepting unusually low interest mortgage rates from the Countrywide Financial Corporation. Yet the committee admonished them for lack of judgment. What is wrong with this scenario?

First, they are investigated by their bosom buddies, most of whom do the same thing regularly. Then they are cleared of wrongdoing...BUT, they need scolding for having done it. Former executives have of the CFC have stated that they knew exactly why they received the extra low interest rates for VIP‘s. And they said it was because they were considered "friends of Angelo", referring to the then CEO of Countrywide Financial Corp, which is now defunct. Dodd, chairman of the Senate banking committee (No conflict of interest?) Dodd was found to be guilty earlier of adding a clause into the giant bail-out bill, after it had been passed by the Senate. I have heard of no admonishment for this which should have been a criminal offense. His only defense was that he was instructed to write those words into it.

Conrad, chairman of the Senate budge committee also stated that he thought the favors were simply a courtesy such as "frequent flyer discounts". Very flimsy excuses, yet accepted by the Ethics Committee. The charges had been brought by the government watchdog group (CREW) Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, in 2008. This group criticized the Ethics Committee and accused them of hypocrisy by clearing them while at the same time admitting that Countrywide had offered them favors not offered to most, and that the Senators were aware of it.

Dodd, of Connecticut is up for re-election in 2010 and his popularity has dropped considerably in that state. Although the campaigns are not underway at present, polls show a likely Republican challenger, Rob Simmons, to presently lead by 9 percentage points. (Quinnipiac University poll, July 23)

Kent Conrad is not up for re-election until 2012. He is from North Dakota.

It is amazing that certain laws can be broken by various people and the entire affair simply brushed under the rug and nothing further is done about it. A recent case in point is that of the New Black Panther party who had two uniformed members posted outside a Pennsylvania polling place during the previous presidential election, one wielding a night stick and both trying to intimidate voters as they entered.

In January, Justice filed a civil complaint in Philadelphia against the New Black Panther Party after two of its members in black berets, black combat boots, black shirts and black jackets purportedly intimidated voters with racial insults, slurs and a nightstick. A third party member was accused of managing, directing and endorsing their behavior. The incident was captured on videotape. (‘Non-responsive' Justice Dept. Pressed again on Black Panther case-WashingtonTimes.com August 8, 2009)

The Black Panther Party did not respond to the charges and a Federal Judge ruled them guilty by default. Yet the Justice Department threw the case out with no legitimate excuse for it.  The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has demanded that the Justice Department explain the reasons for their actions. Oddly, this new administration has no intention of explaining their actions on many fronts. And they are getting away with it. Little wonder their popularity ratings are dropping.
 

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