* Left-leaning groups protest foreclosure deal with top banks
* Targeted Obama re-election headquarters in Chicago
* Negotiators meet with Democratic state AGs in Chicago
By Andrew Stern and Aruna Viswanatha
Jan 23 (Reuters) - As state and federal officials near a deal with top banks to settle claims of foreclosure abuses, left-leaning activist groups have stepped up pressure on the officials to reach a deal that demands more from the banks.
Around three dozen protestors from groups that include MoveOn.org, National People's Action and The New Bottom Line gathered outside the State of Illinois building in downtown Chicago on Monday morning in a blustery rain chanting "banks got bailed out, we got sold out."
The activists, some of whom held signs that said "make Wall Street pay" and "President Obama investigate banks now," also marched a few blocks east and chanted in front of President Barack Obama's re-election campaign headquarters.
Democratic state attorneys general and Obama administration officials are meeting on Monday in Chicago to discuss the terms of the settlement, and Republican state officials are expected to be briefed on a conference call later in the day.
Several protest leaders said they planned to confront negotiators meeting at a Hilton hotel near O'Hare International Airport.
A spokesman for Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, who is leading the negotiations on behalf of the states, declined comment beyond saying no news conference or announcement was planned for this week.
According to past reports of the settlement talks, the banks -- Bank of America, Wells Fargo & Co, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Citigroup and Ally Financial Inc -- would provide $20 billion to $25 billion of relief to homeowners in exchange for being allowed to put behind them potential government lawsuits about improper foreclosures and abuses in originating and servicing mortgage loans.
As talks have dragged into their second year, some states and activist groups said the proposed deal released the banks from too many claims and did not provide enough relief to homeowners.
The total value of the deal depends on which states decide to join, and could drop sharply if certain states, including California, decide not to sign on. The attorney general there pulled out of the talks last year, saying she was not comfortable with the deal under discussion.
The activist groups have increased their pressure in the past week, as negotiators put the final touches on a deal.
Last week U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said a deal was "very close" and suggested the settlement could help about 1 million homeowners reduce their mortgage debt.
On Monday, two Democratic lawmakers joined representatives of MoveOn.org, the Campaign for America's Future, and other groups on a conference call with reporters to call for a deeper investigation into mortgage abuses.
"Instead of criminal prosecutions, we are talking about not much more than a slap on the wrist," Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio said. "In many ways, Wall Street isn't just too big to fail, it's also too big to jail."
In another sign negotiators were close to a deal, three regional banks signaled they had begun talks to also enter the settlement.
Two of the regional banks, PNC and US Bancorp , reported a total of $370 million in mortgage-related expenses, and a third, SunTrust, said the discussions were at a preliminary stage and it could not yet estimate any financial impact. (Reporting By Andrew Stern in Chicago and Aruna Viswanatha in Washington, D.C.; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.