Fellow Keating Five Member: McCain Deserves More Scrutiny

Politicker AZ:

Former U.S. Sen. Dennis DeConcini told PolitickerAZ.com Monday that he thinks Sen. John McCain's involvement in the Keating Five scandal of the late '80s and early '90s is fair game as an issue in the presidential contest between the senator from Arizona and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

...

DeConcini, who said he hadn't seen the full video, said, "The question that should be raised is that McCain's big issue here is that he shouldn't have been at that meeting with the regulators that first time because he had a conflict. He took these three trips that he didn't report and his wife invested $350,000 with Keating," DeConcini said.

"You can criticize rest of us," he said, "but none of us had traveled with or invested with [Keating]."

Read the whole story: Politicker AZ

Comments

[jimoase]

What about the Keating Five?

Alan Cranston (D-CA) Charged with interfering with FHLBB investigation.
Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ) Charged with interfering with FHLBB investigation.
Donald Riegle (D-MI) Charged with interfering with FHLBB investigation.
John Glenn (D-OH) Cleared of acting improperly. Obama campaign supporter
John McCain (R-AZ) Cleared of acting improperly.

Wikipedia
reference - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five

Senators John Glenn and John McCain were cleared of having acted improperly but were criticized for having exercised "poor judgment".

[jimoase]

When a person says we need to free ourselves of international oil, one would assume that means develop the best sources of oil we have in the United States. Then how does the statement about either drill in those 68,000 acres or lose them make any sense?

There are billions of barrels of oil in places we know about now. Does it make any sense to leave those billions of barrels in the ground and drill holes in those 68,000 acres which aren't known to have any oil prospects?

If the oil companies calls congress's bluff about those 68,000 acres ( about 10.5 square miles), who looses? What is the other side of this offer, either develop in that 10 square miles or we (congress) will with hold access to any other land? If that 10.5 square miles were contiguous, and its not, how many barrels would it provide if it were the best area in the world? As much as the north slope? As much as the gulf?

Has anyone shown you a map of where these 10.5 square miles of land is located?

So when someone says something about 68,000 acres, at least ask them some questions. 10.5 square miles is about 3x the size of Los Angeles international airport.

Jim

[jimoase]

We are in the mess..... how do we get out?

Our country isn't selling enough internationally to pays its international bills, such as our oil bill and Chinese loans, that is why our domestic economy is failing.

Are we about to do again what we did before (Great Depression), increase the tax on business and its leadership during a national financial crisis, to delay recovery from that crisis?

All the cash flow coming into our country, and therefore taxes, is because of the activities of our international businesses. For our country to get out of this mess we will need to increase the number of United States businesses selling internationally and increase the sales of our existing international businesses.

Can the United States increase the number of businesses selling internationally and increase international business sales by increasing business overhead?

Can United States businesses compete internationally while being led by the least competent management?

Is good management, such as Bill Gates, Edward Neville Isdell, Gerhard R. (Gerry) Andlinger, Alan Mulally and many more, worth their above average income?

How does the United States create an environment for growing international businesses by increasing the taxes on those businesses and their leadership?

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Jim

[Whiteneck]

Sarah Palin-Iran tie.
The founder of Alaska Independence Party Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American and Todd-Sarah's political godfather, said, "My government is my worst enemy. I'm going to fight them with any means at hand."

"Vogler's greatest moment of glory was to be his 1993 appearance before the United Nations to denounce United States "tyranny" before the entire world and to demand Alaska's freedom. The Alaska secessionist had persuaded the government of Iran to sponsor his anti-American harangue.

That's right ... Iran. The Islamic dictatorship. The taker of American hostages. The rogue nation that McCain and Palin have excoriated Obama for suggesting we diplomatically engage. That Iran."
Palin's friend and AIP chairwoman Lynette Clark : "[Sarah] is Alaskan to the bone ... she sounds just like Joe Vogler."

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/10/07/palins_unamerican/

[anothervoice2]

the real deal on McBush:

http://www.rollingstone.com/videos/player/23356460

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

[gcw]

Been an investor for a long, long time and, although I wasn't in the room, I did take a marked interest in the ebbs and flows of our financial world over the lasst three or four decades.

Keating 5 DOES matter because it ushered in Reaganomics and an era of Republican-lead deregulation. And, what us oldsters can see is a pattern of McCain pals who advocate more deregulaton and less oversight --

McCain was involved in lobbying for relaxed oversight over Keating, et al = S&L crash (which happend on Pres Bush #1's watch -- does financial ruin run the family?)
Gramm & McCain work on deregulation as an economic policy = Enron! What a "surprise" that cost CA $11 billion and millions more were lost by investors and employee's retirement funds.
Further deregulation and relaxed oversight brought us this current economic crisis.

Maybe you agree with lack of government oversight and regulations. Perhaps you believe in Milton Friedman's free market philosophy. Nevertheless, agree or not, Sen. McCain has been an advid advocate for this approach and we are reaping the results of his work.

[hollybork]

Great post GCW, clear and informed and exactly the perspective that we need. However, it doesn't comfortably fit in a few soundbites. I would like to hear Obama really talk about economics because he understands it in his bones but apparently feels it is better to wait. I recommned two books - JK Gailbraith's Predator State and Naomi Klein's Rise of Disaster Capitalism.

I was fortunate enough to catch part of a lecture recently at the U of Chicago school of economics from Naomi Klein who has recently published a book on the whole subject "Shock Doctrine" She was clear and cogent and easily understood at a moment when world leaders are struggling to find a new model that will help them find a way out of this disaster. Dr. Klein need to be on Obama's team. She said the deconstruction of communism led us to recognize its eggregious abuses and cruelties. This critical analysis must be a template for looking at Friendman's monetarist economic failures. And his theories of deregulation, free market, monetarism are utterly failures. I think the age of Friedman/Reagan is dead, Sarah Palin notwithstanding. Now what is next? Remember FDR had a kitchen cabinet that sat around for weeks after he was elected but before he took office trying to figure out what to do with the financial disaster they had inherited. How about a little bit of Keynesian economics, how about a new direction altogether?

[gcw]

Gives me hope for our future to listen to and read Dr. Klein and her associates. Yes, she would be an amaziing asset to President Obama's cabinet.

While I'm dreaming, I'd like to see Sen. Clinton take a year's break from her senate seat to serve as Attorney General. To see Hillary as Top Cop going after DC corruption would be worth a ticket!

And, with Dr. Klein, there are other experts ready to serve. For example, Dr. Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mt. Institute in Colorado, a world-class expert on energy -- wind, solar, oil, natural gas, micropower (which now powers 1/6th of the world's electricity). The cost-effectivness of nuclear, off-shore drilling and more.

[Scott1560]

What's the deal?
Received an email from the Obama camp telling me, "Yesterday, millions of Americans learned the details about John McCain, his political patron Charles Keating, and their role in the last major financial crisis and taxpayer-financed bailout of our time." Huh?
A deeply investigated case, tons of words written about it and folks are just now learning of?
There's nothing new to be reported on the Keating Five deal. Over & done with and like it or not, McCain had little to do w/the scandal, but he made for a nice scapegoat w/so many democrats involved. Of course, let's not discuss that little factoid. Even if you believe that McCain is guilty as hell of wrongdoing and want to blame economic problems on him, revert to Lincoln Savings & Loan, what about the democrats agenda during that period? Why overlook, ignore? I'm not gettin' it?
If you want to bring up tales of lies & deception from McCain, to be fair, bring up the lies & deceptions coming from Obama. And to hear so many in here complain that FOX is not "fair & balanced," well take a look in the mirror.

[LynndaMaree]

The deal is that Syndeys wife Cindee had a 350,000.00 buisness deal with Keating, how about them apples.

[Scott1560]

Irrelevant to McCain's involvement.

How about Alan Cranston's interceptions of FOI requests? So, democrats believe that their elected leaders should have the power to intercept a citizen's request for public documents? Guess it makes sense if you believe in socialism.

[avocado]

Helloooo! the democrats involved are not running for President of the United States of America! Get that? McCain likes to ask " who is Barak Obama?"; well, I ask who is John McCain. Most Americans think they know from the "history" McCain haas provided; but in fact they have no idea, do not know. I know you won't read it, but I would urge those curious to look up the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine for an alternative answer to the self serving one John McCain has been providing.

[Scott1560]

The economy is far more dictated by Congress than by a cheerleading president and the same is true when it comes to regulations. Party philosophy is always important.

[Texdude]

1. You shouldn't end sentences with a preposition. Did you go to Wasilla High?;

2. Millions of voters do not remember the details of McCain's sleazy involvement with Charles Keating or they were not born or too young at the time. Facts are facts dude. Why do they bother you so much?;

3. That's right, you're not getting it. You're not getting it because you refuse to acknowledge that there is a direct relationship and relevance between the S&L scandal of the 1980's and today's mess.

4. Any other questions?

[Scott1560]

History is history. It is available to all. No excuses for anyone wanting to know the truth.

The case was deeply investigated by folks on both sides and by those who are not party lemmings. The truth came out at the time. Were you there? What were your investigative findings?

[lioness39]

Straight from the horse's mouth, pardon me, make that the @ss.

[StephenDedalus82]

McCain has had a stark white combover longer than I've been alive.

[SwingVoter]

John McCain is corrupt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r-kOIs-W6E

John McCain is corrupt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDofbll86dY

[timezone]

Because of the similarity of what's happening at the present, I think it IS relevant this all be looked at more closely. IS McCain really someone who can be trusted with our current economic crisis? History does tend to have a way of repeating itself....

[AmericanWarrior]

I agree with that assessment that he was a POW, so they let him off a little easy because of that.

[demofem]

The law firm Keating founded has bundled $50,000 in donations for the McCain campaign.

[timezone]

What's the saying? Follow the MONEY?

[shelobo]

The Keating Scandal IS fair game just as Andrew McCains (McCains Son)connections to the FAILED bank Silver State Bancorp of Henderson and Silver State Bank ,SHOULD be investigated.Andrew McCain, formerly director of Scottsdale, Arizona-based Choice Bank, joined Silver State's boards in February after the Henderson bank acquired Choice Bank.Then there is Cindy McCains PAST dealings with Charles Keating ,Cindy McCain and her father, James Hensley,all were involved in a $15-million Phoenix, Ariz., shopping center. The $359,000 investment, made through a Hensley company subsidiary in which Cindy McCain had 41 percent ownership and her father 51 percent, makes them the largest single investors in the project originally financed, built and managed by Keating. The investment by the senator's relatives was made in 1986 AFTER Keating was already in a bitter feud with federal regulators alarmed over his operation of Lincoln Savings and Loan.McCain ALREADY KNEW Keating was in trouble for corruption.http://www.bluegrassreport.org/CindyMcCainEthicsInvestigation.mht . I SMELL MOOSE S**T ...

[NHGranite]

Looks like McCain is still fighting the Viet Nam War. He's blaming a 60's radical, Ayer, who bombed the Pentagon to try and stop the war. McCain in his mind wants to win Viet Nam. Sarah Palin is playing the role of Anita Bryant and Obama is being forced into being the Gook. What does it say in McCain's records about PTSD? or is he on acid, since he mentions that he had to miss Woodstock, maybe he is trying to catch up for his lost years.

[shelobo]

McCain IS Insane !! Barbie-Bot and Ken-Bot are sinking McCains ship of fools .

[shelobo]

McCain SAT the Vietnam war out ,he did NO FIGHTING .He did admitt to collaborating with the enemy while he was a POW ,McCain wrote a article for U.S. News & World Report in
1973, upon his release from prison camp. In the article, McCain admits that
he--like many POWs--confessed to war crimes.Odd that the other POWS were prosecuted for war crimes IF they collaborated with the enemy ,but McCain became a Hero when he, by his own admission is really a traitor !

[gcw]

I am a psychologist and have had the same question. Is Sen. McCain suffering from undiagnosed and untreated Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Since PTSD is not my specialty, I checked with colleagues who know. McCain seems to be displaying symptoms which include uncontrolled rages, inability to maintain/connect in intimate relationships, episodes of confusion and possible flashbacks, and suspicousness that easily moves to paranoia. Moreover, he continuously revisits his experience as a POW, another symptom.

What do we know about Vietnam vets with untreated PTSD? They cannot work in stress situations. They have difficulty multi-tasking and tend toward rigidity. And, they tend to make snap decisions that they often regret later.