Posted on 10/23/2009 9:30:17 AM PDT by FromLori
Two Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are joining with panel Republicans in formally calling for Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) to launch an investigation of the Countrywide VIP loan scandal.
“The American people deserve to the know the truth about these lending practices, and if they had undue influence on federal housing or financial policy based on awarding ‘VIP’ loans to federal officials,” Reps. Paul Hodes (N.H.) and Mike Quigley (Ill.) wrote in a letter Thursday to Towns and ranking member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.).
Towns and Issa have been feuding for weeks over the California Republican’s demand that the panel pursue a probe of the Countrywide matter. The letter from the two junior Democrats on the panel is the latest evidence that Towns faces growing pressure on his own side of the dais to move ahead with one. While Quigley was already on record supporting the investigation, Hodes, who is running for Senate, was not.
A Towns spokesman said the chairman “appreciates their input and is taking their letter into consideration.”
The spat between Towns and Issa escalated this week, when Towns' staff changed the locks on the door Republicans use to access the committee room. They confirmed the move was retribution for Republicans shooting video of Democratic members exiting the room in what the minority charged was an attempt to avoid a vote on issuing Countrywide subpoenas.
Towns and Issa huddled Wednesday to try to resolve the dispute, and while both sides reported progress, they broke without a deal. They were set to meet again Thursday but postponed that session until Friday, Issa said.
Hodes’ declaration potentially changes the calculus of those talks. Both he and Quigley serve on the panel’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, meaning there is now majority support on the subcommittee to issue the subpoenas. An Oversight aide noted that would obviate the need for action by the full committee. But it is not clear when the subcommittee is next scheduled to meet. Another committee source disputed that the subcommittee could issue the subpoenas, arguing it lacks jurisdiction.
In their missive, the lawmakers said the panel should seek all documents relating to federal officials’ participation in the “Friends of Angelo” program, designed by Countrywide chief executive Angelo Mozilo to curry favor with key decision-makers. They also called for recovering correspondence with federal officials in the program informing them of their membership or explaining its benefits and any internal Countrywide correspondence indicating who should be included in it.
Hodes and Quigley wrote that any information relating to Members of Congress should be “referred to the appropriate investigative bodies.” Two Senators who received loans through the program — Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) — were investigated and cleared by the Senate Ethics Committee earlier this year.
An Issa spokesman said the lawmaker “fully supports” the approach laid out in the letter. “He believes it is a blueprint for a fair and comprehensive investigation that will uncover the full scope of Countrywide’s efforts to buy influence,” Kurt Bardella said.
A childish stunt to say the least.
You know, I have started to wonder what is behind Towns’ resistance on this. Why is he covering Chris Dodd’s crooked old butt with such fervor? I am beginning to think that there must be a few more shoes to drop on this story, and they must involved people closer to Towns than Dodd. Schumer? Bawney? I think Towns took over Schumer’s old House seat, but I don’t know how close they are. Other House members whose heads have yet to pop up? Or are the Democrats circling the wagons on this like they did on the immeasurably crooked Rangel, just because?
Fixed.
I wonder if they removed the “R” keys from their computers too?
How long before Towns changes the locks on Hode and Quigley?
Do you mean Robyn Hode and Carroll Quigley?
they don’t want anything out before next years elections. if say dodd looks like hes going to lose he can withdraw and retire,making an investigation less likely as well as of less impact should they go ahead.
It all comes down to “not looking back” which is a catchphrase for leave the criminals be.
Have no fear folks, the intrepid WaPo and their ivy league trained reporters will soon reveal all. Funny, the Dems hold the majority, but only two are brave enough to stand for transparency. I guess these two will not be recommended for the board of directors of Fannie or Freddie should they fail to win re-election. If you are a Dem, you should really understand how the game is played - sell out your constituents for the socialist universal agenda, if you loose re-election, your comrades will take care of you.
Yes
IMHO the Dems know they are going into a very tough reelection season starting in about 2.5 months. If an investigation is lauched now which I really hope it is it will take at least 6 months after launching it for the bad news to start to break. That would put it at about early to mid summer.
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