An aide to U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd dismissed as "old news" a report Monday that said the Connecticut Democrat collected more than $160,000 from American International Group employees and their spouses after a top executive urged employees to give. The Washington Times reported that in a November 2006 e-mail, the head of the troubled Financial Products unit told employees that Dodd was "next in line" to chair the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, where he would "have the opportunity to set the committee's agenda on issues critical to the financial services industry."
Dodd quickly "hit pay dirt," according to the article -- and he later transferred the donations to fund his failed 2008 presidential bid. Between 2003-2008, Dodd collected more than $223,000 from AIG employees, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
But Dodd spokesman Bryan DeAngelis said Dodd's fundraising "has always been above-board, transparent and in accordance with campaign finance rules."
"This is a biased news story that seems to be a blatant attempt to repeat old news," DeAngelis told FOX News. "The truth is, Senator Dodd has made it clear that he will not accept contributions from PACs of companies receiving (federal bailout) money and has also made it clear that if anyone who received these recent bonuses from AIG has donated to his campaigns, he will donate that money to charity."
Dodd has already come under criticism for removing a provision in the stimulus package last month that eased the way for AIG to move forward with paying $165 million in bonuses. - FOX News
And you wonder why Washington didn't stop this mess from happening?
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