Report: Top Obama Transition Staffer(Donilon)Led "Backdoor" Lobbying Campaign For Fannie Mae

tpmmuckraker ^ | November 17, 2008 | By Zachary Roth

[11th_VA]

Change we can believe in?

Last week, the Obama transition team announced that it had tapped veteran Beltway Democrat Thomas Donilon to help lead its review of operations at the State Department. As multiple news outlets quickly pointed out, until 2005 Donilon helped oversee the aggressive lobbying operation of troubled mortgage giant Fannie Mae.

Now, ABCNews.com has fleshed out the picture a bit, reporting that Donilon oversaw what it describes as a "backdoor lobbying campaign ... to undermine the credibility of a probe into the firm's accounting irregularities."

The details, which center on a campaign to discredit an agency charged with overseeing the company:

The effort -- which reportedly included attacks on the funding for the oversight agency, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, and an attempt to launch a separate investigation into OFHEO itself -- was ultimately unsuccessful, and regulators eventually discovered top Fannie Mae executives had been manipulating the company's financial reporting to maximize their bonuses.

Donilon was not found to be involved in the financial manipulations, but he did help give Fannie's board the misimpression that the company was in good financial health, according to the OFHEO investigation.

Donilon did not comment to ABCNews.com.

[11th_VA]

"Donilon was not found to be involved in the financial manipulations, but he did help give Fannie's board the misimpression that the company was in good financial health, according to the OFHEO investigation.

Sounds like he'll fit right in ...

[bgill]

IIRC, as a junior senator, Hussein was one of the top 3 (or less) politicians getting $$$$ kickbacks from Fanny and Freddie.

[Red Badger]

Was he lobbying Barney Frank with his “backdoor” Fannie”.............

[WAW]

Yes, he can continue to dole out patronage for the tyrant. Fit right in.

[NonValueAdded]

Now, ABCNews.com has fleshed out the picture a bit, reporting that Donilon oversaw what it describes as a "backdoor lobbying campaign ... to undermine the credibility of a probe into the firm's accounting irregularities."

Ah, so he IS qualified for Obama's administration. We don't need National Security, we simply need the appearance of National Security. Who better than Donilon for that? Look at how well he protected Fannie & Freddy from any Congressional action despite numerous attempts by the Republicans!

[bvw]

Free enterprise awards greed and alacrity! And it should!

But for free enterprise to function the public must be FIERCE in demanding a culture of HONESTY.

In a more strict society, demanding honesty the charms of Mr. Donilon’s obviously well-marketed and productive skills would be matched by the seriousness of the charges levied upon him for Conspiracy to Defraud if not also Misprision of Felony, if not other criminal counts.

[Marty62]

Check this out. Tim Russert hit him on Lobbist and he lied like a cheap rug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhYD8_L0nV8&feature=related

[indthkr]

White House corruption bump for later..........

[Nachum]

The list, ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/

[Gabrial]

Hmmmm -

Barney Frank repeatedly denied Fannie Mae was is financial trouble. Perhaps Donilon was lobbying Barney through the backdoor?

[Nachum]

Picture here:
http://i.imgur.com/OM6nE.jpg

[Enchante]

Now, ABCNews.com has fleshed out the picture a bit, reporting that Donilon oversaw what it describes as a "backdoor lobbying campaign ... to undermine the credibility of a probe into the firm's accounting irregularities."

so the Obamanation puts at the heart of our national security bureaucracy a vicious political hack whose most notable "accomplishment" has been to make millions of dollars running a dishonest lobbying scheme to protect the 'Rats at Fanniemae....

oh yes, this admin. knows how to keep lobbyists out of the WH and how to put real "expert" professionals in charge, yup

[Gabrial]

Lies, lies, and more lies, from the master of lies...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SlBlvirqA0&NR=1

[Mr. Peabody]

This is the guy going to replace Jim Jones???