Posted on 03/13/2009 4:14:07 PM PDT by Libloather
Rep. Maxine Waters defends work with banks
The Los Angeles congresswoman denies having influence over Bush administration officials in the Treasury Department and the issuing of bailout funds to OneUnited Bank.
By Richard Simon and E. Scott Reckard
11:11 AM PDT, March 13, 2009
Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington -- Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) today defended her efforts to help minority-owned banks -- including one with ties to her husband - survive the financial crisis, and scoffed at the notion that she could sway the Bush administration's actions.
"Although both my supporters and detractors often refer to me as influential, the truth is that I had no influence on what Bush administration officials in the Treasury Department or other departments did," she said in a statement.
**SNIP**
OneUnited did not receive any federal money at that time, but by mid-December, it had received $12 million in bailout funds.
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said in an interview Thursday that he advised Waters last fall to "stay out of it" because he knew her husband had served on the bank board.
Frank said Waters was concerned about the plight of minority-owned banks, as was he.
"She acknowledged that 'Sidney had been on the board. I could have a conflict here,' " Frank said. "I said, 'Fine, just stay out of it, I'll deal with it.' "
Noting that OneUnited is based in Boston, he said, "I wasn't, as chairman of the banking committee, not going to do all I could to keep the only black-owned bank in my area alive."
**SNIP**
Treasury spokesman Andrew Williams declined to discuss details of how OneUnited received the bailout but said the award resulted from the same "strict procedure" followed in the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"I don't care about the f**king banks! Obama said Sidney and I could have the oil companies."
They are "more equal than others."
Thanks for posting. Another anti-truth, lying, ‘rat politician devaluing our life, obliterating our pursuit of happiness.
“...not going to do all I could to keep the only black-owned bank in my area alive.”
Substitute white for black in the statement above. Sound racist?
Translation of Waters/Frank lies: Overt corruption is OK if it is done in the name of Black racism.
...not going to do all I could to keep the only black-owned bank in my area alive.
That is the tell.
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