WASHINGTON – The former Countrywide Financial Corp., whose subprime loans helped start the nation's foreclosure crisis, made hundreds of discount loans to buy influence with members of Congress, congressional staff, top government officials and executives of troubled mortgage giant Fannie Mae, according to a House report.
Isn't that pretty-much bribery?
The Justice Department has not prosecuted any Countrywide official, but the House committee's report said documents and testimony show that Mozilo and company lobbyists "may have skirted the federal bribery statute by keeping conversations about discounts and other forms of preferential treatment internal. Rather than making quid pro quo arrangements with lawmakers and staff, Countrywide used the VIP loan program to cast a wide net of influence."
Skirted eh? So all I have to do is make sure that there's no record of anything I might want in return for such a thing, or simply shower Congressional offices with various "intangible" gifts, and if it happens to lead to benefit, well, that's ok?
Yeah, right. It may be "legal" but that doesn't make it right!
I have written much about Countrywide and the bankster actions in general during the 2000s. There were so many clear abuses that several States attempted to stop them with lawsuits and other enforcement action. The Bush Administration sued to block these enforcement actions, arguing that as banks and other firms doing business across state lines the businesses in question were subject to exclusive Federal Jurisdiction and could not be sued by The States.
In other words, at the explicit direction of the Bush White House, you got screwed.
And then under Obama you got more screwed as his White House has refused to bring charges and prosecute either.
What's even worse is that even Gary Johnson, allegedly a Libertarian, has said "Nobody committed any crimes" and he has refused to demand that those responsible for these abusive practices face the music!
We have a Parliament of *****s with all of your choices for November being in fact Robbers in Chief, both real and prospective, and you, the common man, have been and will be in the future serially abused as a consequence -- right up until you demand better politicians.
