Obama car czar linked to alleged kickback scheme
Pay to play: It’s the Obama way. So, really, is anyone surprised anymore?
Steven Rattner, the leader of the Obama administration’s auto task force, was one of the executives involved with payments under scrutiny in a probe of an alleged kickback scheme at New York state’s pension fund, according to a person familiar with the matter.
A Securities and Exchange Commission complaint says a “senior executive” of Mr. Rattner’s investment firm met in 2004 with a politically connected consultant about a finder’s fee. Later, the complaint says, the firm received an investment from the state pension fund and paid $1.1 million in fees.
The “senior executive,” not named in the complaint, is Mr. Rattner, according to the person familiar with the matter. He is co-founder of the investment firm, Quadrangle Group, which he left to join the Treasury Department to oversee the auto task force earlier this year. Neither Mr. Rattner nor Quadrangle has been accused of any wrongdoing. Mr. Rattner did not return calls for comment.
Steven Rattner, a chief adviser to Obama’s automotive task force.
A spokeswoman for the Treasury, which is in charge of the auto task force, said that “during the transition, Mr. Rattner made us aware of the pending investigation.”In the long-running pay-to-play case, authorities allege that about 20 investment firms made payments in exchange for investments from the $122 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund. The case, being investigated by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the SEC, has led to three criminal indictments and a guilty plea. The attorney general’s office and the SEC declined to comment.
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Categories: Barack Obama
Doug Ross @ Journal
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Are we even mildly surprised anymore? It seems some level of tax evasion or outright criminal activity in your background is a pre-requisite to every position in the Obama administration.
Wow, if this pans out, it’s just another in a long line of Obama picks that turned out to be failures. Does he have horrible vetters or horrible judgement? Or were they just hoping it wouldn’t come up?
I have a feeling it’s a bit of all of the above.
Meanwhile, the NBC suits are all over CNBC for being too critical of the ultimate monument to affirmative action run amok.
Crooked is as crooked does, Ma’am.
What? I’m shocked. Obama found someone who actually paid his taxes?
It’s early. Don’t hold your breath…..
Since he’s the “Car Czar” can’t he be driven straight under the bus?
Pay to play is the rule, not the exception, in New York politics. Long before Jay Leno presented his Monday night funny headlines, the Columbia Journalism Review had them on its back covers. One of these headlines, from the New York Daily News, declared, “Albany Turns to Garbage.” How true, how true.
Not even the least bit surprised anymore. And of course the MSM will be all over that story. Not!
Nope, he’ll have to be run over about 100 times by one of those mini cars… well, given the FAIL in the crash tests they might need to go through several cars before the job gets done. But they have a fleet of them now so they can spare a few.
Only in very bright sunlight to get the solar bus revved up enough.
Sad that we are no longer surprised by:
1) Obama’s picks being caught up in one or another legal tangles.
2) MSM has no interest in the story.
3) Obama’s pick gets the job anyway.
Plus, it’s The Chicago Way!
A crooked Democrat – You will never see this in the MSM because they do not have the time to list all of the crooked Democrats. One more isn’t news. Even the Liberals expect it.
Didn’t we go through a similar episode (but on a reduced scale) with Clinton? Since Obama is in to tax cheats, I think Clinton was fond of Immigration violators.. Big Democrats/Grand Larcenists – I’m pretty sure they are amending the Thesaurus now..
What really reeks of this is how quiet the politicians are about the whole thing. If Big Oil or Wal-Mart was in question, there would be no end to investigative calls and leaks to the MSM.
We can also assume that we hear very little about such things until they blow up or “get legs in the MSM”. The light of day will never shine on most of the hidden deals that arise out of pay for play situations. But this is business as usual for nearly all politicians and the businesses/firms that hitch their wagons to the politicians.
As we advance our Tea Party movements, we need to realize this transcends party lines. This is one of the many reasons that our taxes are so high – the payoffs and fees we pay on what become “administrative costs”. It is bad enough we have to pay for the additional D.C. bureaucrats to administer, but the costs really skyrocket when they hire “outside consultants” to do their cushy jobs.
Odopey Adminischeaters
This is the guy who’s going to tell the American car companies how to get back on their feet?
God, please help our car companies because only You can do it.
If your reaching into a basket full of turds, do not be surprised if you pull out a turd.
the chicago way in all it’s glory. cicerokid i like your analogy. yesterday it was another fine chicago democrat congresswoman claiming to be outraged by tea parties, while her husband gets convicted of mail fraud and other kickback felonies, and she doesn’t want that little setback to tarnish his wonderful career of good works. like ” other than that mrs kennedy, wasn’t that a great parade.”
Actually, I think it is NONE of the above. I think these thugs in DC don’t care about a person’s criminality. To them, that is just politics as usual and since there is little or no morality in many politicians these days, they see nothing wrong with any of this. It is only when someone actually calls their attention to it that they say, “Oh, is that wrong? Who knew?” Also, there are few liberals out there to choose from, who would actually have NO sleezy activities in their past. That is sad and frightening.
The Odopey administration is like a jack in the box, every time they turn the crank…..
Pop! Goes the Weasel….
Don’t you think “crooked Democrat” is a bit redundant?
Redundancy: the part of a message that can be eliminated without loss of essential information
Kickback? An air of corruption emanating from the Obama camp? If not for stench, would the administration offer anything palpable at all?
Nope. It’s who they are. It’s at their core. While they are corrupt-o-crats on all sides, the Obama crowd seems to see the world as did Al Capone and the fictitious Scarface character played by Pacino. It’s all theirs for the taking.
They need to be put away.
Why not just give him one of the clown cars to drive around it. That would cure the problem in short order.
Criminal thy name is Obama. The entire Democrat Party is congenitally corrupt and bent. It appears to be a common moral condition with these people.
Already being used by Biden.
Everyone WTFOTUS knows is a freakin crook. It would be a joke if it was anywhere but here.
GOP In Charge = Culture of Corruption
Dems in Charge = Culture of Corruption on Steroids
when it comes to zero’s appointments it seems that they all leave a noticeable slime track on their way to dc, in time all the tracks will meet and become one. it should be a concerns that all the garbage zero picks are all unethical and cheats. it must be all zero knows, after all crap attracts only other crap.
Obama may have some tax cheats in his administration but it’s nothing compared to the Bush administration. We aren’t any safer, the world hates us and he left office with a deficit. When Clinton left office we had a surplus.
Oh, and the tea parties were tiny.
/lgm mode off
wow, 30–you actually had me going there for a bit…
Where there is smoke ! One question, are there any crooks left in this country that are not tied up with the Obama administration?
lol, they must be serving bloody mary’s in 30’s office this morning.
Me too! I had to check the username again…I thought I was seeing things! Until I read the comment about the tea parties being tiny and remembered where that line came from! Whew! I know there are some libs who actually come over from the dark side and change to conservative. But I have NEVER heard of a conservative moving to the dark side! Once you know the truth, there is no going back.
the weak throw tantrums, deny obvious truths, minimize the overwhelming. drama driven and quite emotional, the liberal world.
Just having a little fun this beautiful Friday morning. Spring is finally here!
I wish. I could use two or three.
I understand, 30–I can do a passable imitation of undresiege/mistressjustice meself.
I stop when I make myself angry.
Spaceycakes,
LOL!
Absolutely stunning weather here in Minneapolis! It will be getting up to 72 today. My bleeding hearts are up, and so is the rhubarb. We grilled dinner last night! The long winter is over! Life is good.
Now that’s a trick! typing with your head up your a$$. lol
You obviously don’t live in Wyoming. Still snowing as we speak.
Back on topic, all the comments from the media that Gov Palin hadn’t been vetted very well, and yet no comment on these guys. . . oh wait, this guy told the vetters he was under investigation and they hired him any way. Now it makes sense. /sarc
That’s because my Angels play the Twinkies tonight and they brought the good weather with them.
Those Greek columns really were styrofoam. Thank god Gov. Palin had the guts to go after this boy before the McCain handlers got ahold of her.
And don’t forget about Odopeys pick of Rosa Brooks. geeze loiuse!
Our Entrenched Criminal Class of Corrupt Weasels.
Also known as “The United Establishment Party“.
These are the friends that McCain and his pals insist on reaching across the aisle to. The clock is ticking GOP. What are you going to do? (Hint: new leaders).
((((((((((GASP!))))))))))
I think it’ll actually make it into the 70s tomorrow. We’ll spark up the grill and veg out. My b-day is Sunday and it’s suppose to rain.
That must be it. And I am not deluding myself…the Twinks will probably lose. I hope we have better times ahead. Maybe when we move into that grand, expensive, plush, unnecessary new stadium paid for by our taxes, we will see some real baseball.
No. I do not … NJ. We did get snow flurries last week. Does that count?
Babysgrandma,
You are correct, “crooked Democrat” is redundant. Much like “Whiny Liberal” or “Totalitarian Communist”. I stand corrected..
30 pcs…Rain or not, Sunday will be a great day for you! Happy Birthday early! I may not be on line Sunday, so I wanted to get that in.
Now, I am off to work in the garden and to spend some of the day outside.
Talk amongst yourselves and TGIF!!
Thanks, Happyscrapper!
Nice, ck…
And if you follow political correctness mentality, you expect the one you pull out to be clean on that end.
Happy Birthday, 30!
And many more!
Now, I’ll do MY impersonation of a looney, leftwing liberal: (Bush is President) DISSENT IS PATRIOTISM! (Obama is President) TRUST THE GOVERNMENT!
Mmmmmm…grilled hearts and rhubarbs….mmmmm!
aj said:
Has someone been picked on in junior high? Your projection is obvious here–and your disturbing preoccupation with the rectum is also showing. But, I’ve come to expect that from your type. It’s just silly. But, whatevah–I’m outta here…
undre/mj mode*off
When Obama said he would only appoint the “Cream Of The Crop”, what he meant to say was “Scum Also Rises!”
An early Happy Birthday, 30! I hope it doesn’t rain and that you receive every good thing you wish for on your special day!
Cheddar,
Trash Gathers..
When gold nuggets are melted, the impurities rise to the top and the gold stays on the bottom.
I think he misread the TOTUS.
I believe he meant to say the “Cream of the Crap”…
Even keeping in mind that Mr. Rattner does not appear to be directly implicated in any sort of wrongdoing (though he would have to be a complete moron to be as close to it all as he was and not even know what was happening) this is annoying. If George Bush was still president, this would make front page headlines for months and congress would spend billions to investigate all sorts of conspiracy theories related to it.
Instead, it’s just another sub-par appointment. That’s what happens when your choices come from the cesspool of Democrat party leadership. If Michael Steele had any competence at all, he’d be publishing a daily scorecard of Obama administration scandals.
That sux. Im sorry for you….
Its the beginning of a blizzard here in Denver and hopefully we will get up to 2 ft of snow by tomorrow. Its going to be a great weekend at the ski resorts this weekend!
Score!!
Best comment EVER!
Thank you both!
Le me know when 0bama picks one person who is not involved in some corruption scheme or has paid their taxes.
The water spaniel has been thoroughly vetted (no pun intended)and so far is only guilty of urinating in public.
Patriotic ones?
Yet they approved him for car czar anyway. Have they given up all pretense at caring about the law when it comes to the Democratic elite?
Guess which former President said this:
It was Jimmy Carter in his acceptance speech on Jul 15, 1976.
Carter also said this,
And he also said this in the same speech,
He sounds pretty good, doesn’t he? The quotes above were said while Carter was running for president. Once in office, all these goals were forgotten. Will Obama’s promises follow the same pattern? “You can depend on it.”
How do you think ol’ BO and Axelrod & Co. raised so much money?
“Pay me now. I’ll get you a cushy job later.”
You see. A car guy like me should be the car czar. Well,,, except, um, ah…I’d tell Chrysler and GM to make cars that people will buy, which, of course, would be the complete opposite of what the BO Admin wants them to do.