DCCC Still Clinging to $130,000 in Scandal-Tainted Corzine Cash

Even President Obama Gave Back Donations from Disgraced Bundler Jon Corzine, But House Dems are Hoarding Theirs

• Over the weekend, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel made the ironic claim that “we need to get money out of politics.”
• But even as Israel blasts the influence of money in politics, he, House Democrats and Democrat candidates are clinging to $130,000 in scandal-tainted donations from Jon Corzine. Corzine is the former CEO of now-bankrupt MF Global, a Wall Street firm currently under investigation for losing $1.2 billion in customer money.
• Even President Obama parted ways with his Corzine cash, but it appears that Steve Israel and House Democrats hold themselves to a different standard when it comes to “get[ting] money out of politics.” What will it take for Steve Israel and the DCCC to abandon their hypocrisy and return their donations from a disgraced CEO whose failure led to suffering for farmers and families?

Over the weekend, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel made the ironic claim that “we need to get money out of politics”:

“DIANA WILLIAMS: ‘What does it cost these days to run for congress?’

“REP. STEVE ISRAEL: ‘It depends on the media market. The short answer, too much. We need to get money out of politics.‘” (Interview with Steve Israel, WABC-NY, 1/8/2012)

But even as Israel blasts the influence of money in politics, he, House Democrats and Democrat candidates are clinging to $130,000 in scandal-tainted donations from Jon Corzine. Corzine is the former CEO of now-bankrupt MF Global, a Wall Street firm currently under investigation for losing $1.2 billion in customer money:

Corzine Personal Donations to House Democrats

(CQMoneyLine, accessed 1/8/2012)

“CORZINE: ‘I SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS’“: (Scott Patterson and Aaron Luchetti, “Corzine: ‘I Simply Do Not Know Where the Money Is,'” The Wall Street Journal, 12/8/2011)

“ANALYSIS: MF GLOBAL PROVES ENRON-ERA ACCOUNTING LIVES ON”: (Nanette Byrnes, “Analysis: MF Global Proves Enron-Era Accounting Lives On,” Reuters, 12/2/2011)

FBI INVESTIGATING HOW CORZINE’S COMPANY LOST CUSTOMER MONEY: (Paul Steinhauser, “RNC Calls on Obama to Return Corzine Contributions,” CNN, 11/3/2011)

U.S. COMMODITIES REGULATOR: CORZINE FIRM ACTIVITIES “EITHER NEFARIOUS OR ILLEGAL”: (Tim Mak, “Regulator: Corzine Firm ‘Nefarious,'” Politico, 11/15/2011)

Even President Obama parted ways with his Corzine cash, but it appears that Steve Israel and House Democrats hold themselves to a different standard when it comes to “get[ting] money out of politics.” What will it take for Steve Israel and the DCCC to abandon their hypocrisy and return their donations from a disgraced CEO whose failure led to suffering for farmers and families?:

OBAMA RE-ELECT, DNC ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD REFUND CORZINE MONEY ON THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS: “President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign has returned campaign contributions from Jon S. Corzine, former chairman and chief executive officer of MF Global Holdings Ltd., according to a Democratic official.

“Responding to Republican criticism that the money from the former New Jersey governor was tainted by his firm’s collapse, Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee refunded the money, said the official, who requested anonymity.” (Hans Nichols, “Obama Returns $70,000 in Corzine Donations,” Bloomberg, 12/23/2011)

MF GLOBAL COLLAPSE “HITTING HARD ACROSS RURAL AMERICA” AS FARMERS “NERVOUSLY WAITING TO LEARN HOW MUCH MONEY THEY’VE LOST”: “The shock waves from the collapse of commodities trading firm MF Global Inc. are hitting hard across rural America, where farmers, ranchers and agricultural business owners are nervously waiting to learn how much money they’ve lost.” (Steve Karnowski, “Shock Waves from MF Global Collapse Felt on Farms,” Associated Press, 12/4/2011)

“MF GLOBAL COLLAPSE FELT IN FARM COUNTRY”: “The havoc wreaked by MF Global’s bankruptcy filing has been felt not just by Wall Street investors and traders, but also by wheat and corn growers, cattle ranchers and pig farmers. Dotting the Farm Belt, many who used the commodities market to protect against price swings are finding their money locked up and their hedges unwound due to the firm’s downfall.” (Jerry Dicolo, “MF Global Collapse Felt in Farm Country,” The Wall Street Journal, 12/6/2011)