Campaign Contributions May Be Linked To Pension Fund Deals

usatoday.com:

More than two dozen firms that have surfaced in a broad corruption investigation of public pension funds gave at least $1.97 million in campaign contributions to officials with potential influence over the funds' investments, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

The givers included private-equity giants such as the Blackstone Group, the Carlyle Group and the Quadrangle Group, the firm founded by Steven Rattner, who in July resigned as the White House point man for the auto industry rescue. The contributions are legal, and the firms haven't been accused of wrongdoing related to the giving.

Read the whole story: usatoday.com

Comments

[itsmyparty]

Geeeez.Ya think?

[TJCole]

We have a System of Legalized Bribery...!

Not democracy...

It's gonna get even worse this September when the Federalist Society Court what was our Supreme Court expands the parameters of Corporate "Personhood!"

That's why their Bribe Money is considered their Free $peech..!

Thom Hartman on this...

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/07/06-0

[Shashi0224]

There are long standing connections between the bush family and the Carlyle Group.

[babyboomerorig]

Wonderful group of people here.

These are the people that control all the world's wealth......and power.

[cannante]

i have for years had pete peterson in the corner of my eye.

i didnt know much about him but his name.

had no judgement of him except personal knowledge of a "medium level" (only a 100 million venture capital deal) partner of his.

he is kinda a 'dil' so i was always curious about pete.

then i saw pete's foundation's documentary wagging it's finger at the u.s. for it's debt, and talking about the waste of social programs. SUCH PROPAGANDIST TWADDLE.

with ONE TRILLION ANNUALLY spent on united states martial policy, social programs are a sneeze in a gale, and anyone who says otherwise has another agenda.

NOW I FIND HE IS A HYPOCRITE. HE JUST WANTED MORE OF THE MONEY HIMSELF.

these are people that need to be hit where it hurts.

fortunately, there is no place in the world to successfully hide anymore..... unless they run to third world countries.... and let's see how long that will work unless they start pumping their own money back into its economy: noblesse oblige!

thus spake a TRUE (pre-neocon) republican.

[BlueDog1]

"K" street wins again and again and again....................

[Kenneth Braxton]

Corporations using campaign contributions to get legislation passed that gives them more power?? No, I don't believe it. I'm sure that's illegal or something.....

[dems08]

carlyle group....

that a bush/rightie warmongering group, isn't it?

[Marcospinelli]

Reagan-Bush-war-profiteering group. Meet Frank Carlucci: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Frank_Charles_Carlucci_III

[crablover]

The majority of their investments are in defense-related corporations. War is good business.

[jojony]

What a shock!

[Jlong]

Wouldn't it be great if congress people and senators just voted their "conscience?" Instead though they vote in line with the interest of their contributors. A person can call his/her elected official to make suggestions or lodge complaints, but when a corporation calls on the same elected official and brings a check, who is the elected official more likely to listen to?

Corporations should NOT have access to our elected officials. I understand that they are legal entities, but they are not natural persons. They do not vote, so they should not be allowed lobby our elected officials. It is precisely this money and influence that keeps congress from working for the people.

*sigh* if only...

[Marcospinelli]

Wouldn't it be great if congress people and senators just voted their "conscience?" Instead though they vote in line with the interest of their contributors.
===============================================

They are voting their conscience. And their values.

These are corrupt people, with expensive suits and good haircuts. You've got to stop thinking that these are good people, who just had momentary lapses. They went into politics to feather their own nests, and they switchback between government and private sector jobs in order to make laws and change regulations so that they can take advantage of the system.

[crablover]

Corruption by public officials: the best justification ever for capital punishment. Line 'em up!

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

What have we learned?

If you Rob a bank, then rob billions and pass a percentage to the politicians. You will be rewarded with more opportunities to rob and even be given your own TV show like Michael Milkin. If you only rob two thousand dollars from the bank, then you can not afford to bribe the politicians and you are going to prison for most of your life.

[LeeCalif]

I refuse to read anything from USAToday after an article alluding that Dr. George Tiller's murder was
a natural act.

[dadw5boys]

AHHHH

Central Bankers but they do love to keep their actions secret .
Gosh darn can we give them some more money !!!!!

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

And not just more money. Can we give them the $500 billion line of credit intended for the FDIC? And can we give their handmaiden (the Federal Reserve) more power over non-financial business sectors?

[TXfemmom]

The real question should be, why aren't the contributions illegal?

[dadw5boys]

The Corpoartions are considered Individuals for Political reason (give the money) !

But for tax reason they are considered Private Corporations. (keep the money)

It has something to do with how much a Supreme Court Justice cost.

[mikep]

Maybe now that Ted Kennedy is no longer chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee we might actually get some hearings and some justice. I wonder how much they gave him. I know the health insurance companies gave him tons in return for his blocking health care.

[Marcospinelli]

With all of the money and influence peddling changing hands, you think Ted Kennedy is the one on the take?

Unfreakin' believeable.

[mikep]

Marcospinelli, whether you want to admit it or not, it's a documented fact. Please, don''t believe me, find out for yourself. Just investigate his and his family's finances. The evidence is there to see if you just look. He's the one who's been in charge of the committee who's supposed to regulate this. He has never bothered to investigate it, hold hearings, or propose any legislation to regulate it. And he has taken tons of money from corporate interests, which is how he's been able to stay in office all of these years.

I would love to be proven wrong. I used to love the Kennedys when I was a kid and young and idealistic. But then I grew up and read a lot of stuff and learned a lot of unpleasant facts about the Kennedys, especially Ted. He was quite corrupt. It's all in the records. Look and see. You'll notice how in all this talk about him and his family no one ever mentions his family's money. Wake up folks, Sorry, but you've been bamboozled and sold a massive bill of goods. He played the 'good cop' to the corporates 'bad cop' and did it extremely well.