skippy the bush kangaroo: chris dodd...skating on thin ethical ice?

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

chris dodd...skating on thin ethical ice?

dodd, running for president, currently sits on the banking committe. he tried to set up a "bundling" luncheon for those with a vested interest in legislation he aims to introduce.

senate banking committee chairman chris dodd (d-conn.) invited top executives in the equity and fixed-income trading divisions of the nation’s largest banks to have lunch with him in manhattan on tuesday in the hope of recruiting bundlers for his presidential campaign.

...although the lunch was canceled at the last minute — campaign spokeswoman colleen flanagan said there was a scheduling conflict — officials at government watchdog groups said the invitation was an unusually systematic way of recruiting fundraisers from a narrow industry sector over which dodd has power as banking chairman.

...dodd has raised nearly $14 million for his presidential campaign. many top donors have been banks with an interest in the sub-prime mortgage market, which has emerged as a hot political issue.

..“usually bundlers are pulled together through personal connections and phone calls,” said holman. “i’ve never heard of a campaign setting up a pre-bundling luncheon, which is what this is.

“dodd has a policy he has to offer this narrow business segment and he hopes they will bring in dollars for him.”- the hill

Labels: democrats, prez campaign