A Culture of Greed

(The Washington Prowler) - The Senate Ethics Committee intends to open an investigation into the relationship of several Democrat Senators, senior executives, and lobbyists for Fannie Mae, and Countrywide Financial, the home mortgage company, which was purchased at bail-out price by Bank of America.

Already caught in the web are Sens. Kent Conrad and Chris Dodd, both of whom have denied any wrongdoing in their attempts to refinance or obtain mortgages from Countrywide at favorable terms. Senate Ethics Committee staffers believe that there may be at least two other Senators -- both Democrats -- who had contacts with senior executives at Fannie Mae and Countrywide.

"It apparently was well known that Countrywide had a 'VIP service' through the senior management offices, and current and former senior executives at Fannie Mae were a conduit for those contacts," says a House Ethics aide. "There is a Clinton/Democratic connection here that can't be ignored."