We are talking about the Washington Times here. They've been dinged more than once for letting their editorial policies bleed over to their reporting.
On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 11:57 PM, Scott Stroz <[email protected]> wrote: > > Only 1 of the top ten was a republican? I would have thought the > breakdown would have been a bit more even. > > On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 4:03 PM, Jerry Barnes <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> 4. *Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner:* In 2009, Obama Treasury >> Secretary Timothy Geithner admitted that he failed to pay >> $34,000<http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2009press/prb011309d.pdf>in >> Social Security and Medicare taxes from 2001-2004 on his lucrative >> salary >> at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an organization with 185 member >> countries that oversees the global financial system. (Did we mention >> Geithner now runs the IRS?) It wasn't until President Obama tapped Geithner >> to head the Treasury Department that he paid back most of the money, >> although the IRS kindly waived the hefty penalties. In March 2009, Geithner >> also came under fire for his handling of the AIG bonus scandal, where the >> company used $165 million of its bailout funds to pay out executive bonuses, >> resulting in a massive public backlash. Of course as head of the New York >> Federal Reserve, Geithner helped craft the AIG deal in September 2008. >> However, when the AIG scandal broke, Geithner claimed he knew nothing of the >> bonuses until March 10, 2009. The timing is important. According to >> CNN<http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1886138,00.html>: >> "Although Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told congressional leaders on >> Tuesday that he learned of AIG's impending $160 million bonus payments to >> members of its troubled financial-products unit on March 10, sources tell >> TIME that the New York Federal Reserve informed Treasury staff that the >> payments were imminent on Feb. 28. That is ten days before Treasury staffers >> say they first learned 'full details' of the bonus plan, and three days >> before the [Obama] Administration launched a new $30 billion infusion of >> cash for AIG." Throw in another embarrassing disclosure in 2009 that >> Geithner employed "household help" ineligible to work in the United States, >> and it becomes clear why the Treasury Secretary has earned a spot on the >> "Ten Most Corrupt Politicians in Washington" list. >> >> 3. *Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA):* Judicial Watch is investigating a $12 >> million TARP cash >> injection<http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/aug/jw-sues-treasury-records-tarp-funds-distributed-boston-bank-after-intervention-rep-bar>provided >> to the Boston-based OneUnited Bank at the urging of Massachusetts >> Rep. Barney Frank. As reported in the January 22, 2009, edition of the Wall >> Street Journal, the Treasury Department indicated it would only provide >> funds to healthy banks to jump-start lending. Not only was OneUnited Bank in >> massive financial turmoil, but it was also "under attack from its regulators >> for allegations of poor lending practices and executive-pay abuses, >> including owning a Porsche for its executives' use." Rep. Frank admitted he >> spoke to a "federal regulator," and Treasury granted the funds. (The bank >> continues to flounder despite Frank's intervention for federal dollars.) >> Moreover, Judicial Watch uncovered documents in >> 2009<http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/aug/jw-sues-treasury-records-tarp-funds-distributed-boston-bank-after-intervention-rep-bar>that >> showed that members of Congress for years were aware that Fannie Mae >> and Freddie Mac were playing fast and loose with accounting issues, risk >> assessment issues and executive compensation issues, even as liberals led by >> Rep. Frank continued to block attempts to rein in the two Government >> Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs). For example, during a >> hearing<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_house_hearings&docid=f:92231.wais>on >> September 10, 2003, before the House Committee on Financial Services >> considering a Bush administration proposal to further regulate Fannie and >> Freddie, Rep. Frank stated: "I want to begin by saying that I am glad to >> consider the legislation, but I do not think we are facing any kind of a >> crisis. That is, in my view, the two Government Sponsored Enterprises we are >> talking about here, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not in a crisis. We have >> recently had an accounting problem with Freddie Mac that has led to people >> being dismissed, as appears to be appropriate. I do not think at this point >> there is a problem with a threat to the Treasury." Frank received $42,350 in >> campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac between 1989 and >> 2008. Frank also engaged in a >> relationship<http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432501,00.html>with a >> Fannie Mae Executive while serving on the House Banking Committee, >> which has jurisdiction over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. >> >> 2. *Senator John Ensign (R-NV):* A number of scandals popped up in 2009 >> involving public officials who conducted illicit affairs, and then attempted >> to cover them up with hush payments and favors, an obvious abuse of power. >> The year's worst offender might just be Nevada Republican Senator John >> Ensign. Ensign admitted in June to an extramarital affair with the wife of >> one of his staff members, who then allegedly obtained special favors from >> the Nevada Republican in exchange for his silence. According to *The New >> York >> Times<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/us/politics/03ensign.html?_r=1&hp> >> *: "The Justice Department and the Senate Ethics Committee are expected to >> conduct preliminary inquiries into whether Senator John Ensign violated >> federal law or ethics rules as part of an effort to conceal an affair with >> the wife of an aide " The former staffer, Douglas Hampton, began to lobby >> Mr. Ensign's office immediately upon leaving his congressional job, despite >> the fact that he was subject to a one-year lobbying ban. Ensign seems to >> have ignored the law and allowed Hampton lobbying access to his office as a >> payment for his silence about the affair. (These are potentially criminal >> offenses.) It looks as if Ensign misused his public office (and taxpayer >> resources) to cover up his sexual shenanigans. >> >> 1. *Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT):* This marks two years in a row for >> Senator Dodd, who made the 2008 "Ten Most Corrupt" list for his corrupt >> relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and for accepting preferential >> treatment and loan terms from Countrywide >> Financial<http://www.examiner.com/a-1449448%7EBank_of_America_PAC_money_behind_Dodd_s_Countrywide_loan.html>, >> a scandal which still dogs him. In 2009, the scandals kept coming for the >> Connecticut Democrat. In 2009, Judicial Watch filed a Senate ethics >> complaint<http://www.judicialwatch.org/files/documents/2009/Senator%20Christopher%20Dodd%20Ethics%20Complaint%20April%2024%202009.pdf>against >> Dodd for undervaluing a property he owns in Ireland on his Senate >> Financial Disclosure forms. Judicial Watch's complaint forced Dodd to amend >> the forms. However, press reports suggest the property to this day remains >> undervalued. Judicial Watch also alleges in the complaint that Dodd obtained >> a sweetheart deal for the property in exchange for his assistance in >> obtaining a presidential pardon (during the Clinton administration) and >> other favors for a long-time friend and business associate. The false >> financial disclosure forms were part of the cover-up. Dodd remains the head >> the Senate Banking Committee. >> >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology-Michael-Dinowitz/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:319558 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
