Barrack Obama is covering his fannie ~The Fannie Mae connection

Covering His Fannie II

Obama Meets With Economic Advisors Including Former Fannie Mae Board Member William Daley:
The Politico Reports Former Commerce Secretary William Daley Will Attend Obama's Economic Meeting To Advise Him On The Financial Crisis. ("Obama's Banking Brain Trust," The Politico, 9/19/08)
Daley Serves As An Obama Advisor For Economic Policy. "At his stop in New Mexico, Obama sought to keep the focus almost exclusively on the economy, appearing with a panel of experts that included William Daley, brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and a former U.S. commerce secretary." (John McCormick and Jill Zuckman, "Rivals Spend Day As Frequent Fliers," Chicago Tribune, 2/2/08)
Daley Served On The Fannie Mae Board And Received Hundreds Of Thousands In Stock Options And Director Fees. "After Clinton passed over Daley for a Cabinet post in his first term, he appointed him to the Fannie Mae board. Daley reported collecting $ 24,814 in director's fees in 1996 from the firm. He also listed deferred compensation and stock options from Fannie Mae worth between $ 215,000 and $ 500,000." (Charles R. Babcock and Barbara J. Saffir, "In Wealth, Clinton Team Doesn't Look Like America," The Washington Post, 6/24/97)
Former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson Recruited Daley For Fannie Mae. "Fannie's government relations operations dramatically expanded in the mid-1990s, when then-CEO Johnson recruited Washington A-listers Robert Zoellick, who served in the Reagan and Bush administrations; Lawrence M. Small, former secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; and William M. Daley, commerce secretary in the Clinton administration." (Lisa Lerer, "Fannie, Freddie Spent $200M To Buy Influence," The Politico, 7/16/08)
NOTE: From 2002 Through 2005, Daley's Son Was A Registered Lobbyist For Fannie Mae. (U.S. Senate Office Of Public Records Website, soprweb.senate.gov, Accessed 7/27/08)
As Sen. John McCain Advocated Reforming Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac, Obama "Was Notably Silent," And His Supporters Blocked Reform:
The Washington Post: "In 2006, [McCain] Pushed For Stronger Regulation Of Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac -- While Mr. Obama Was Notably Silent." (Editorial, "'Always for Less Regulation?'" The Washington Post, 9/19/08)
McCain In 2006: "If Congress Does Not Act, American Taxpayers Will Continue To Be Exposed To The Enormous Risk That Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Pose To The Housing Market, The Overall Financial System, And The Economy As A Whole." McCain: "I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole." (Office Of U.S. Senator John McCain, "McCain Statement On Co-Sponsorship Of The Federal Housing Enterprise Regul atory Reform Act Of 2005," Press Release, 5/26/06)
"The Powerhouse Democratic Overseers Of The Banking Committees -- Rep. Barney Frank, Sen. Christopher Dodd And Sen. Chuck Schumer -- Protected Fannie And Freddie." (Robert Novak, Op-Ed, "Crony Image Dogs Paulson's Rescue Effort," Chicago Sun-Times, 7/17/08)
Obama Ranks Second Among Donations From Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Among All Members Of Congress Since 1989:
In Just Four Years, Obama Has Received More Money From Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Than Any Other Member Of Congress In The Past Two Decades (Since 1989) Except Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Chris Dodd. (Lindsay Renick Mayer, "Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Invest In Lawmakers," Center For Responsive Politics' "Capital Eye" Blog, www.opensecrets.org, 9/11/08)
Dodd Has Served In Federal Office Since 1975. (The Washington Post Website, www.washingtonpost.com, Accessed 9/15/08)
Obama Has Served In Federal Office Since 2005. (The Washington Post Website, www.washingtonpost.com, Accessed 9/15/08)
Former CEO Of Fannie Mae And Former Obama Advisor Jim Johnson Resigned Under Criticism:
Jim Johnson Is The Former CEO Of Fannie Mae. (David A. Vise, "Fannie Mae Lobbies Hard To Protect Its Tax Break," The Washington Post, 1/16/95)
"Jim Johnson, The Former Chairman Of Fannie Mae Who Was One Of Three Advisors Tapped By Democrat Barack Obama To Vet Vice Presidential Candidates, Resigned Today After Questions Were Raised About Favoritism He May Have Received From Countrywide Financial Corp." (Johanna Neuman, "Barack Obama Advisor Jim Johnson Quits Under Fire," Los Angeles Times, 6/12/08)
Johnson Remains A Bundler For Obama's Presidential Campaign And Has Committed To Raising $100,000 To $200,000. (Obama For America Website, www.barackobama.com, Accessed 5/19/08)
In 1998, Fannie Mae's Earnings Were Manipulated, Which Resulted In "Maximum Payouts" To Executives Including CEO Jim Johnson. "As CEO of Fannie Mae, Johnson, a former chief of staff to Vice President Walter F. Mondale and chairman of the board of the Kennedy Center, was the beneficiary of accounting in which Fannie Mae's earnings were manipulated so that executives could earn larger bonuses. The accounting manipulation for 1998 resulted in the maximum payouts to Fannie Mae's senior executives -- $1.9 million in Johnson's case -- when the company's performance that year would have otherwise resulted in no bonuses at all, according to reports in 2004 and 2006 by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight." (Jonathan Weisman and David S. Hilzenrath, "Obama's Choice Of Insider Draws Fire," The Washington Post, 6/11/08)
The Manipulation Resulted In Johnson Receiving A Bonus Of Over $1.9 Million When He Otherwise Would Not Have Earned A Bonus. "An Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight report in September accused the company of improperly deferring $200 million of estimated expenses in 1998, which allowed management to receive full annual bonuses. Had the expenses been recorded that year, no bonuses would have been paid, the report said. Fannie Mae reported paying bonuses in 1998 to Johnson, who received $1.932 million; Raines, who then was chairman-designate, $1.11 million; Chief Operating Officer Lawrence M. Small, $1.108 million; Vice Chairman Jamie S. Gorelick, a former deputy attorney general, $779,625; Chief Financial Officer J. Timothy Howard, $493,750; and Robert J. Levin, who was executive vice president for housing and community development, $493,750." (Albert B. Crenshaw, "High Pay At Fannie Mae For The Well-Connected," The Washington Post, 12/23/04)
Johnson Also Received Fees And Compensation From Fannie Mae Worth $3.3 Million Between 2001 And 2006. "Johnson left the company before it was swept up in an accounting scandal that tarred its reputation, but even during the years of scandal, Johnson was reaping hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees and other compensation, $3.3 million in all between 2001 and 2006." (Jonathan Weisman and David S. Hilzenrath, "Obama's Choice Of Insider Draws Fire," The Washington Post, 6/11/08)
In 1998, Fannie Mae Improperly Deferred $200 Million Dollars In Expenses, Which Allowed Johnson To Receive Nearly $2 Million In Bonuses; Johnson Would Not Have Received A Bonus If The Money Had Been Properly Expensed. "An Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight report in September accused the company of improperly deferring $200 million of estimated expenses in 1998, which allowed management to receive full annual bonuses. Had the expenses been recorded that year, no bonuses would have been paid, the report said. Fannie Mae reported paying bonuses in 1998 to Johnson, who received $1.932 million; Raines, who then was chairman-designate, $1.11 million; Chief Operating Officer Lawrence M. Small, $1.108 million; Vice Chairman Jamie S. Gorelick, a former deputy attorney general, $779,625; Chief Financial Officer J. Timothy Howard, $493,750; and Robert J. Levin, who was executive vice president for housing an d community development, $493,750." (Albert B. Crenshaw, "High Pay At Fannie Mae For The Well-Connected," The Washington Post, 12/23/04)
In 1998, Johnson, Then-CEO Of Fannie Mae, Hosted The Opening Ceremony Of A Lobbying Office In Oklahoma. "The concern is whether such efforts were made to bolster Fannie's business more than to advance philanthropic goals. Critics say the foundation helped to reinforce ties with various congressional groups forged by Fannie's in-house lobbyists. At times the two seemed indistinguishable: They often sponsored events in tandem. Both were big donors to the CBCF's annual awards gala in 2003 and a similar black-tie event for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in 2002. In 1998, then-CEO Jim Johnson hosted the opening ceremony of a lobbying and public relations office in Oklahoma, an event attended by former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating and then-Senator Don Nickles (R-Okla.). But wearing his other hat as the foundation's chairman, Johnson al so took the opportunity to announce $125,000 worth of grants to local charities." (Dawn Kopecki, "Philanthropy, Fannie Mae Style," Business Week, 4/2/07)
Obama Solicits Advice From Former Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines Who Was "Under The Shadow Of A $6.3 Billion Accounting Scandal":
The Obama Campaign Has Solicited Franklin Raines, Who "Stepped Down As Fannie Mae's Chief Executive Under The Shadow Of A $6.3 Billion Accounting Scandal," For Advice On Mortgage And Housing Policy. "In the four years since he stepped down as Fannie Mae's chief executive under the shadow of a $6.3 billion accounting scandal, Franklin D. Raines has been quietly constructing a new life for himself. He has shaved eight points off his golf handicap, taken a corner office in Steve Case's D.C. conglomeration of finance, entertainment and health-care companies and more recently, taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters." (Anita Huslin, "On The Outside Now, Watching Fannie Falter," The Washington Post, 7/16/08)
Like Jim Johnson, Raines Received Low-Rate Home Loans From Countrywide, A Major Seller To Fannie Mae. "Fannie Mae's former CEO, Jim Johnson, resigned Wednesday as the leader of likely Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's search for a running mate after The Wall Street Journal reported that he and another former CEO, Franklin Raines, received low-rate home loans from troubled mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp. a major seller of home loans to Fannie Mae." (Alan Zibel, "Fannie Mae CEO Says Ethics Policy Bans Discounts," The Associated Press, 6/12/08)
Former Fannie Mae Chairman Frank Raines Was Accused Of Manipulating The Company's Earnings. "Former Fannie Mae chairman and chief executive Franklin D. Raines, accused of manipulating the housing finance company's earnings, is challenging regulators to make their case against him beginning Feb. 16 instead of waiting until the end of the year." (David S. Hilzenrath, "Fannie Mae's Former Chief Wants Earlier Hearing Date," The Washington Post, 2/6/07)
Raines Was Forced Out As Fannie Mae's CEO In December 2004. "Former chief executive Franklin D. Raines and chief financial officer J. Timothy Howard were forced out Tuesday night after accounting mistakes that could cost Fannie $9 billion in reported profit." (David S. Hilzenrath, "Fannie Mae Exit Packages Face Review," The Washington Post, 12/23/04)
Under Raines' Leadership, Fannie Mae Committed "Extensive Financial Fraud" And Was Forced To Pay A $400 Million Civil Penalty. "In a May report, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight found that Fannie Mae under Raines perpetrated 'extensive financial fraud' so that executives could collect big bonuses. There have been no criminal charges, but the conduct of Raines and other senior Fannie executives 'was inconsistent with the values of responsibility, accountability, and integrity,' the agencies said. Fannie paid a $400 million civil penalty this year to the SEC and OFHEO." (Jay Hancock, Op-Ed, "Raines Claiming Accountability Isn't Enough," The [Baltimore] Sun, 12/10/06)