Where are the Keating Five Today?
By Liz - Feb 16th, 2008 at 10:50 am EST
Introduction
Both McCain and Hillary Clinton (although not a member of the Keating Five) are survivors, few will argue that: In addition to Vietnam, McCain survived being one of the Keating Five and lived to be a candidate for the highest office in this land, and Hillary survived numerous scandals of the Clinton Administration, not to mention a few of her own (Whitewater and her 6 year s experience as a paid Board member of Wal-Mart, the largest union busting corporation in the world being two of the most outstanding). But I am one voter who hardly considers a candidate's ability to survive as a recommendation in and of itself for the office of the President of the United States of America.
It's interesting to see how intertwined the Clintons are with McCain as one researches deeper into the roots of the current Mortgage crisis. Its roots appear to go back to the Savings and Loan Crisis. I'm beginning to better understand what Bill Clinton means when he said that his wife and John McCain would have a most civil campaign. I imagine they would--but not necessarily for reasons that would please a REAL democrat.
WHERE ARE THE KEATING FIVE TODAY?
The three most significant players in today's terms of the Keating Five were: John McCain, John Glenn (who recently endorsed Hillary Clinton) and Dennis DeConini whom Bill Clinton in 1995 appointed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
This is an incredibly, intellectually dishonest, but clever, attempt at reconfiguring history. The insinuation implicit in this comment is that John McCain was one of the most significant players in the Keating Five. Of course the reality is that McCain was the least significant of the Keating Five in terms (that actually matter) of questionably ethical behavior.
As the presumptive Republican nominee for the presidency in 2008, McCain is, obviously, THE most significant player IN TODAY'S TERMS. Of course this is an utterly irrelevant perspective. Because someone, IN TODAY'S TERMS, is significant has nothing to do with that person's significance in an incident that took place decades ago.
For comparison sake let's consider a hypothetical. Ten years ago a young woman is murdered in Chicago. One of the people the police question is Barrack Obama because there is a rumor that the two have had an affair. No one is ever able to prove the affair let alone that Obama had anything to do with the demise of the young woman. Now, ten years later, a journalist who is willing to scarifice her credibility for the sake of her politics writes an article that tells us that IN TODAY'S TERMS, Obama is the most significant suspect in the murder of this woman.
Well yes, in today's terms, he would be unless Bill Clinton or George Bush were also questioned.
This hypothetical exaggerates to make a point which should not be dismissed simply because McCain is a Republican.
The most significant figures among the Keating Five, by any all meaningful terms, were Democrats, and the most significant was Alan Cranston.
Yes, this author, eventually, acknowledges this, but her attempt to paint McCain and Hillary Clinton in shades of black is quite obvious.
By the author's reasoning, let's consider Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Obama. She, obviously, has a huge problem with Hillary accepting the endorsement of the utterly corrupt John Glenn, but apparently no problem with Obama's acceptance of the endorsement of a man who left a young woman to drown while he saved his political ass.
Since we should judge Hillary by her endorsers, let's look at Obama's: Al Sharpton - Well there's an upstanding individual. Can you say Tawana Brawley? Hulk Hogan? No problem there? John Kerry? Three Purple Hearts and never a day's sick leave.
So it's all a Republican Attack Machine - right?
Clinton's appointment was the year after DeConini had retired because of the Savings and Loan scandal and the subsequent Senate Ethics committee in 1991 that had concluded that Cranston, DeConcini, and Riegle's conduct constituted substantial interference with the FHLBB's enforcement efforts and that they had done so at the behest of Charles Keating. The committee recommended censure for Cranston and criticized the other four for "questionable conduct."
Why on earth would a President such appoint a man of such questionable background to a position of influence in the financial industry? And one might just as well question the judgm ent of Hillary Clinton for accepting the endorsement of John Glenn, who was also a member of the Keating Five. Did she think that Americans would be so stupid as to only remember Glenn's history as astronaut? Part of being President of this country involves using good judgment and vetting your endorsements and people who contribute money to your campaigns.
Hillary is quick to criticize Obama on Rezko while ignoring her own lack of judgment allow a photo of herself to be taken with Rezko, and to not vet the contributions coming from Hsu a contributor to Hillary's campaign. Hsu now is facing possible jail time as is Rezko. Both candidates have returned the funds.
WHERE IS MCCAIN TODAY?
This senator is one of two from the Keating Five who was e xonerated in a declaration that his only crime was "poor judgment"--still this is not an altogether reassuring endorsement for a man who is now running for the highest office in our land.
WHERE IS JOHN GLENN TODAY?
Well this 87 year old (the third American to fly in space and the first American to orbit the Earth) lives in Ohio and has recently endorsed Hillary Clinton.
Glenn was named one of the "Keating Five" for accepting a $200,000 contribution from convicted savings and loan executive Charles H. Keating Jr., but a 1991 Senate commission declared that his only crime was "poor judgment."
Glenn and Republican Senator John McCain were the only Senators exoneratedGlenn's role in the Senate fund-raising hearings struck some observers as atypical. The normally even- tempered Glenn repeatedly lambasted majority Republicans, including committee chairman Fred Thompson, for "hardball" partisanship.
WHERE IS DENNIS DECONINI TODAY?
Unlike Glenn and McCain, the Senate Ethics committee in 1991 concluded that Cranston, DeConcini, and Riegle's conduct constituted substantial interference with the FHLBB's enforcement efforts and that they had done so at the behest of Charles Keating. Needless to say, DeConini did not get re-elected. But not to worry, Bill had a job for him. Bill Clinton in 1995 appointed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and many are questioning today DeConini's influence on the current mortgage crisis.
Today DeConini has his fingers in numerous pies:
On Feb 13, 2008, the Corrections Corporation of America, the largest provider of corrections management services to government agencies ann ounced that DeConcini has been elected as a member of its board of directors.
Perhaps one of the reasons why DeConini was appointed to the board of directors including his connections to the Clintons might also be the fact that DeConcini also is a Principal in the lobbyist consulting firm Parry, Romani, DeConcini & Lacy P.C. in Washington, D.C.
http://www.ibtimes.com/prnews/20080213/corrections-corporation-of-america-elects-former-senator-dennis-deconcini-to-its-board-of-directors.htm
WHERE IS ALAN CRANSTON TODAY?
He died in 2000 at the age of 86.
From WIKI: He was reprimanded by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics for "improper conduct" on November 20, 1991 after he accepted $1 million in campaign contributions from the Lincoln Savings head, Charles Keating. Keating had wanted federal regulators to stop "hounding" his savings and loan. The committee deemed Cranston's misconduct the worst among the Keating Five. Cranston decided against running for a fifth term while he battled prostate cancer.
WHERE IS RIEGLE TODAY?
Senator Donald W. Riegle, Jr. was one of the three from the KEATING Five whose conduct was found to have constituted substantial interference with the FHLBB's enforcement efforts and that they had done so at the behest of Charles Keating. He wisely did not run for re-election to the Senate.
But if you think that his influence is DC has wained, you would be wrong. Like DeConini, Riegle too is among the many federal lobbyists who now crowd DC and peddle their influence. In 1995, he joined Weber Shandwick Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., serving as executive committee chair.
But as one who has a soft spot in her heart for Veterans, it is to Riegle's credit that he was very outspoken in asking for further investigation and recourse for war veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome.
You may remember how our government wanted to pretend that this syndrome did not exist so they could get out of paying for our veterans healthcare. And please note: This was in 1994 on Bill Clinton's watch when our Vets were being treated this way.
DO YOU BEGIN TO GET THE DRIFT OF HOW AND WHY DC IS SO CORRUPT AND RIFE WITH LOBBYISTS PEDDLING THEIR INFLUENCE IN DC? Hillary thinks this is just fine--which is but one more reason why she will not get my vote in the upcoming Texas Primary.
Link To Post:
http://www.democrats.org/page/community/post/elizabethberry/CtGT
