CENSURE SEN DODD! WE NEED A REPLACEMENT DEM FOR DODD!

[Lance31]

FROM CAPITAL EYE:


Before the Fall, AIG Payouts Went to Washington
Published by Massie Ritsch on March 16, 2009 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

As long as everyone's talking today about AIG's payouts to its executives and foreign banks, let's remember the payouts AIG has made over the years to politicians. In the last 20 years American International Group (AIG) has contributed more than $9 million to federal candidates and parties through PAC and individual contributions. That's enough to rank AIG on OpenSecrets.org's Heavy Hitters list, which profiles the top 100 contributors of all time.

Over time, AIG hasn't shown an especially partisan streak, splitting evenly the $9.3 million it has contributed since 1989. In the last election cycle, though, 68 percent of contributions associated with the company went to Democrats. Two senators who chair committees charged with overseeing AIG and the insurance industry, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), are among the top recipients of AIG contributions. Baucus chairs the Senate Finance Committee and has collected more money from AIG in his congressional career than from any other company--$91,000. And with more than $280,000, AIG has been the fourth largest contributor to Dodd, who chairs the Senate's banking committee. President Obama and his rival in last year's election, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), are also high on the list of top recipients.

AIG has been a personal investment for lawmakers, too. Twenty-eight current members of Congress reported owning stock in AIG in 2007, worth between $2.5 million and $3.3 million. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), one of the richest members of Congress, was by far the biggest investor in AIG, with stock valued around $2 million.

Last year AIG and its subsidiaries spent about $9.7 million on federal lobbying, or about $53,000 for every day Congress was in session in 2008. The company's spending on advocacy last year was down from an all-time high of $11.4 million spent on lobbying in 2007.

CRP In the News
Here are some of the media citations of CRP's AIG data:

Critics Got Donations from Insurer (Wall Street Journal, March 19, 2009)

Will Obama, McCain, Dodd Return Contributions From AIG Employees? (ABCNews.com, March 18, 2009)

Watching the A.I.G. Hearing on the Hill (New York Times, March 18, 2009)


http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/03/before-the-fall-aig-payouts-we.html

[DJ13]

1. Replace Reid while you're at it

[burythehatchet]

2. Wow. Only 4 days of news to catch up on?

[Lance31]

3. Been on a film shoot, directing a firefight takes time. :P

[ljm2002]

4. Yeah, Dodd is the one who tried to get more restrictions...

...on the bonuses, before he caved to Administration pressure, who in turn were caving to Republican pressure.

But sure, I don't like all of that money flowing into the coffers of our Senators and Representatives from wealthy corporations with agendas to promote.

So here's an idea: why don't we censure the whole lot of them? The article lists several high-money recipients from AIG. Or we could do the right thing, and stop this insane system where politicians have to drum up huge levels of funds to run, and then corporations and special interests are allowed to spend pretty much at will to buy their own pet congress critters.

In the meantime, I hate seeing Dodd singled out as the scapegoat du jour, especially when he was trying to do the right thing in spite of the AIG contributions he has received.

[DCKit]

5. Right or wrong, he's a powerful Dem and the Republics want to inflict as much damage as possible...

while they've got such a sweet opportunity. Notice how the M$M is playing mother's little helper at every turn. They jumped onto the Dodd angle quickly and are hanging on like pit bulls. Anything to deflect attention from the real issues or any investigation of the root cause of this debacle.

[ljm2002]

7. Ain't it the truth!

But it is painful to watch. It's gotten to the point where I'm starting to have suspicions about the motives of some posters on this topic.

[Lance31]

13. Question away, notice I said censure him, would not want to have our

majority damaged, even though hes evidently corrupt.

[ljm2002]

18. Honestly ...

... my suspicions wern't directed at you.

He may be corrupt but I don't think he's the most corrupt. It appears that his big mistake in this instance was to cave too easily to the Administration, who in turn caved too easily to the Republicans and the financiers.

There's plenty of corruption to go around, that's for sure.

[certainot]

23. and why don't you give us the list of republicans

who got money from AIG and the other biggies.

i say first criticize the republicans who got us into this disaster by voting in lock step as long as i remember. go after the money and the ones who got us here as opposed to politicians who take money from all sorts of places because the republicans vote time after time to defeat election reform laws so that you have to be richer and richer to represent your fellow citizens in a democracy. and most of the big cos give it to both parties to hedge their bets anyway.

if limbaugh suggests it i say do the opposite- he's been wrong on everything major for the last 20 years even though the media and the GOP mysteriously keep following his suggestions.

[acmavm]

32. Oh bullshit. The fucking hypocrisy here is stomach turning. All the bad

mouthing and bitching about greedy repubics and people here want to give Dodd a walk for being the money hungry lying creep that he is because 'they do it so why should one of ours get away with it too'.

[certainot]

33. it's not hard to hold dems to a higher standard but when

so many so called liberals and progressives spew RNC and heritage foundation talking points they sound like trolls and freepers. maybe if they listened to a bit of the propaganda that dominates their talk radio airwaves once in a while they'd realize they were doing the circular firing squad on cue again. but maybe i just didn't ever read the other posts this writer put up going after republican corruption.

[acmavm]

34. Just what we need. Another 'person' who thinks that it's okay

to give dems a pass.

People like you are the death of the Democratic Party.

[certainot]

35. i'd feel differently if i thought even 25% of 'dems'

paid any attention at all to the medium that dominates the flavor of america and pummels dem politicians daily with an invisible 2x4

one shitload of political analysis and commenting has been wasted because dems have been playing politics without a front line and didn't have a clue.

[chill_wind]

37. Here you go: 2007-2008 campaign cycle-- twice as much to Dems

Money to Congress: 2008 Cycle

I read that Dodd has given his $$ back.


Dems: $452,526

Repubs: $144,792

Others: Independents: $0


Top 10 Recipients

Senate Obama, Barack $104,332
Senate Dodd, Chris $103,900
Senate McCain, John $59,499
Senate Clinton, Hillary $37,965
Senate Baucus, Max $24,750
Presidential Romney, Mitt $20,850
Senate Biden, Joseph R Jr $19,975
House Larson, John B $19,750
Senate Sununu, John E $18,500
Presidential Giuliani, Rudolph W $13,20

See all recipients
Based on data released by the FEC on March 02, 2009.

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/toprecips.php?id=D000000123

The other biggies you refer to are here too:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=114&topic_id=61119&mesg_id=61119

[certainot]

39. thanks, but censure for a game they all have to play because all republicans

vote lock step against any election reform?

i have been reading way too many comments on liberal blogs that sound like they're coming from the basement of the heritage foundation, like a lot of talk radio calls to limbaugh and hannity.

[chill_wind]

40. Just responding with the big picture in this case.

You asked. I'm not advocating either way. I agree about election reform- MEANINGFUL,SERIOUS REFORM, but I don't have great faith Dems will get it done in the next four years, either, IF in eight.

[certainot]

41. election reform would be easy if dems quit ignoring the talk radio monopoly

--it does the groundwork for everything the GOP does and the trad media wants.

[rpannier]

25. I'm for firing the lot of them

And banning them from involvement in politics, except for holding the right to vote. (except for the freshmen class of '08, provided they are moving from the House to Senate)

The bulk of them are contemptible incompetents.

Yes, I know there a few that are pretty good. But, other than Kucinich, who else said anything while all this was going on?

[Jane Austin]

6. These days, one can always find almost more posts

reflecting the latest Rethuglican meme than good analysis of Dem positions.

[EPIC1934]

8. Ah Those Connecticut Democrats...

Like father like son.

There is a good reason why we hear so little about Dodds far right wing father (read American Security Council) father Thomas Dodd. The connections btw Thomas and the JFK Assassination are jaw-dropping and off limits.

A little defense contracting will do ya.

[balantz]

12. Thanks for the information.

I went to Sourcewatch and found out some very interesting things. Especially Russ Bellant's work toward the bottom of the article.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Security_Council

[BobTheSubgenius]

20. Put me down for some "Peace Through Strength."

Nice and Orwellian.

[Jane Austin]

15. I guess it depends on what you read.

I was under the impression that Thomas Dodd was an outstanding Nuremberg prosecutor, and a liberal senator.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

17. He was

But JFK conspiracy theorists tend to think Dodd had something to do with it. But it's either Dodd, or the Cubans, or the Russians, or the Mafia, or the CIA, or Lyndon Johnson, or George H.W. Bush, or Nixon, or extra terrestrials. Just take your pick I guess.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

11. I wish I could kick a thread comment

Couldnt of put it better myself.

[Jane Austin]

16. Thanks . . . . . . n/t

[EPIC1934]

26. READING is fun and also funemental..

Why dont you start a debate discussion istead.

Soooooooo... are we saying the American Security Council never existed and we can subsume them with the peddled term "Conspiracy Theory" Just how much reading about Thomas Dodd have you done? I have lots more to say about Thomas later on when I have more time. It will likely be dismissed Conpsiracy Theory so by all means dont believe what i say. Read for youself citizens. Check sources look for multiples etc.

There is good reason we hear so little about Thomas Dodd. Read before accepting the blind pab of the glibb dismissers.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

36. I will read about Thomas Dodd in relation to the JFK assassination

I admit I don't know much about his allegeded connection. But I will read about it. I have read much about other allegeded connections from said groups. I am not fully convinced any of them were connected. But I am open to getting more evidence.

[Phred42]

9. Hey kids - It was Timmy! Not Dodd.

Dodd could be replaced for other reasons (REID & PELOSI FIRST please)

But lets not jump on the Reich wing bandwagon here (unless you're a troll)

Geithner defends bonus action
http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/19/news/economy/geithner_interview/index.htm

[EPIC1934]

28. Out of the Sandbox into the .....?

I disagree. It has never been more necessary to criticize the Democrats for theri sickening umbilical ties to Wall Street. What is necessary is that these criticisms be made in a way that make it clear that the Republicans are worse (but this doesnt mean they could not have gotten away with THEIR crimes withous years of DLC complicity)

If I failed to make some of my anti-Republican sentiments known here, I just assumed I was dealing with a more sophisticated audience who were generally above the sandbox mentallity of False Opposites.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

10. Hey lets censure every Dem while we are at it

Caving to Republican talking points doesn't really help. Don't believe what you hear all the time.

[EPIC1934]

27. False Opposites-- the road to Serfdom

This is the road that led us into the pit. Immediately equating all richly deserved criticism of Corporate Democrats with support for the Republicans.

Makes for very quick posting though!

[spiritual_gunfighter]

29. I am not sure Chris Dodd qualifies

but makes for a quick post though. Welcome to DU anyway

[wisteria]

14. No.

This is the way the system works. Try and change the system- not our good Dem's. Investing in a company and receiving donations does not make one a criminal. And you call yourself a Dem?

[natrat]

19. my god they are almost all crooks at this point-just look at voting records- not rocket science

[wisteria]

21. Politic is politics.

It takes money to run and accepting donations does not necessarily mean a vote or a favor is being bought. As I said, our politicians have to play by the rules that have been in place for years and years. If you want a change then go about changing the system. It takes a lot of money to run an election and win- an example- President Obama.

[certainot]

24. you're talking about republicans, right

if you''re really looking at voting records the difference isn't even close, even if you're a head in the sand absolutist.

republicans vote the same ALL the time, except once in a while. and they've been wrong about everything important, listening to limbaugh-- its not even close.

[bertman]

22. The "cave-in" was due to pressure from the money guys who control our government.

The administration (look at our President's choices to run the Treasury) and Congress are to blame. They're all beholden to the guys who pass out the big bucks to keep them in office.

This is the way they keep their thumb on those whom we "elect" to run our government. As someone in a recent article said (I forget who it was): they're called campaign contributions but in reality they're just legalized bribery by the elites.

[cadmium]

30. Are you out of you mind or just trying to be provocative?

[Jim Sagle]

31. Whadda buncha shit.

[chill_wind]

38. AIG is just a sample of Dodd's money bags. That's just a fact.

Dodd

Top 5 Industries (2003-2008)

Securities & Investment $4,242,546
Lawyers/Law Firms $1,942,553
Insurance $1,440,422
Real Estate $1,282,741
Commercial Banks $905,044

Top Contributors 2008

Citigroup Inc $316,494
United Technologies $264,400
SAC Capital Partners $248,500
American International Group $223,478
Royal Bank of Scotland $218,500
Bear Stearns $201,000
Goldman Sachs $180,200
Credit Suisse Group $157,050
Morgan Stanley $156,600
JPMorgan Chase & Co $134,050
Merrill Lynch $132,950
Lehman Brothers $122,300
Hartford Financial Services $117,150
KPMG LLP $116,650
General Electric $113,000
UBS AG $110,800

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00000581

[cadmium]

42. You wont get a replacement Dem. You will get a

Republican. Let's see Larry Kudlow is cuddly.