Wilson termed it “a move that simply throws welfare at developing nations, only helps China along in transitioning away from the dollar, and does absolutely nothing to bolster America’s economic standing in the world.”

“Right now, the U.S. financial system is sinking, the national debt has exploded to over $11.3 trillion and the deficit to over $1.84 trillion, and the Obama Administration has no plan to get the nation out from under $104 trillion of unfunded liabilities. It is absolutely sickening that Barack Obama and his meek, toady Congress think it’s a good time to send another $100 billion to a failed international institution.  This is nothing more than international welfare checks,” said Wilson.

Last month at the G-20 summit, Barack Obama pledged a $100 billion line of credit to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of a $550 billion global effort to bolster the international bank. The G-20 then approved a new $250 billion general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDR)—the bank’s reserve asset.

The Congressional proposal also expands U.S. holdings in the IMF by $8 billion.

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) offered an amendment to remove from the Iraq and Afghanistan war supplemental both the $100 billion line of credit to the IMF and the $8 billion increase the nation’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR) holdings. In the Senate the amendment to remove the provisions failed by a vote of 30-64.

“The Senate had a golden opportunity to kill this thing and they blew it.  Now it’s on the fast track, and the American people need to know what is happening,” Wilson said.

Overall, the legislation has passed the House with at a cost of $96.7 billion and the Senate at $91.3 billion.  The final version of the bill still has not been presented from conference, and the IMF provisions were not originally included in the bill as passed in the House.  Since then, House and Senate Democrats have agreed to the $100 billion line of credit to the IMF and $8 billion expansion of U.S. SDR holdings.

The bill, HR 2346, now proceeds to the House and Senate for final approval.  Today, Americans for Limited Government released a backgrounder on the issue.

“Russia, China, India, and Brazil are currently buying interest-bearing IMF bonds denominated in the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights, and meanwhile Congress is voting to pay for it with a $100 billion line of credit extension and $8 billion expansion to the IMF,” said Wilson.

Currently, Russia, India, China, and Brazil are already prepared to purchase their first round of IMF bonds—denominated in SDR.  According to the Wall Street Journal, “The IMF is preparing its first bond offering, potentially tailored to Brazil, Russia, India and China. Russia’s [$10 billion] offering would equal that of India and would be about a quarter of the $40 billion China is expected to contribute to boost the IMF’s resources.”

Combined, Russia ($2.261 trillion), Brazil ($1.981 trillion), India ($3.288 trillion), China ($7.916 trillion) have GDP (PPP) of $15.446 trillion compared to the U.S GDP (PPP) of $14.264 trillion.

“Why are American taxpayers paying to help China and Russia improve their global monetary positions? This is an insane use of American taxpayers’ money,” Wilson said, adding, “It has no place in a war supplemental appropriation.  It is an insult to America’s fighting men and women.”

Wilson promised to remind constituents how each member of Congress votes on the supplemental.  “This is not $108 billion for the IMF that was attached to a $90 billion war supplemental, it is a $90 billion war supplemental attached to $108 billion for the IMF.”

“The American people have a right to know which of their representatives vote to crumble up the dollar on the floor of Congress, and Americans for Limited Government will not let constituents forget,” Wilson concluded.

Attachments:

“Dollar in Danger: $100 Billion Line of Credit to IMF Backgrounder,” Americans for Limited Government, June 2009.

Interview Availability: Please contact Alex Rosenwald at (703)383-0880 or at arosenwald@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

“This vote proves out and out that Senate Democrats are not concerned about health at all. Both tobacco and marijuana are weeds, both are smoked, both are carcinogenic, and yet the Senate Committee on Health has seen fit to propose placing tobacco under FDA regulation while shielding marijuana from similar government control,” said Wilson.

“Senator Tom Coburn deserves credit for exposing the smoky duplicity of the Senate Committee on Health,” Wilson added.

The amendment, sponsored by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), would have required that states, should they decide to decriminalize marijuana or allow it for medical purposes, regulate it on the same grounds as tobacco.

Wilson called upon the Senate to enact the Coburn amendment on the floor of the body. “Every member of the Senate must decide if what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

According to Senator Coburn, speaking in committee, “[A]ll this amendment does is say we’re going to do the same thing with marijuana that we’re going to do with cigarettes—we’re going to run it through the FDA and if in fact we’re going to utilize it, then we ought to make sure it’s safe and efficacious.”

In a 13-10 party line vote, the committee’s Democrats—and lone Independent—rejected the amendment.

Voicing his disapproval of the vote, Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson said, “The Coburn amendment has effectively revealed the Democrats at their most hypocritical. Congress and Big Government Washington bureaucrats are moving to criminalize tobacco while simultaneously legalizing marijuana.”

Wilson added, “The real aim of placing tobacco under FDA control is ultimately prohibition. It’s time we call this what it is—a move towards prohibition.”

The thirteen Senators who voted “No” on the Coburn amendment are Chris Dodd (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Robert Casey Jr. (D-PA), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

Chris Dodd and Jack Reed have received praise from groups on the left for their efforts to defeat the amendment.

“Any student of history understands that prohibition triggers more crime and more wasted government resources,” Wilson said. “Although it failed in committee, the Coburn amendment succeeded in revealing Democrats’ duplicitous nature regarding tobacco regulation and ultimate prohibition.”

“America does not need another era of prohibition,” Wilson concluded.

# # #

“The American people have barely any idea what the Fed is up to, although we do know that they’ve put American taxpayers on the hook for $7.76 trillion in less than two years,” said Wilson.  “The House has no clue where the $7.76 trillion is going either, because Congress’ best attempts at oversight have been met with consistent stonewalling by the Fed.”

Wilson added, “All of this money simply cannot be accounted for, including nearly $2 trillion of loans made by the Fed—for no other reason than because the Fed refuses to disclose any information about the transactions.”

On February 26th, Congressman Ron Paul introduced the “Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009,” legislation that would require an audit of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and the Federal Reserve Banks.

According to Bloomberg News, the Federal Reserve has committed, lent or disbursed over $7.76 trillion in the past 20 months.  This includes nearly $2 trillion in loans, although it is unclear who received these loans.

According to Bloomberg, “The Federal Reserve so far is refusing to disclose loan recipients or reveal the collateral they are taking in return.” The Fed has argued it is actually allowed to withhold “internal” memos as well as commercial and trade secrets information. Bloomberg, on the other hand, has actively filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, demanding the information.

Thus far, the Fed’s Board of Governors has refused to comply with Bloomberg’s FOIA requests.  In addition, the Fed’s regional banks are arguing that they are private institutions beyond the reach of the Freedom of Information Act.

In answering questions from Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) recently, Fed Inspector General Elizabeth Coleman testified she could not account for “$1 trillion-plus that the Fed extended and put on its balance sheet since last September…”

An email to Bloomberg by Coleman’s office also revealed that “By law, we are the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors only… Consistent with our authority, we cannot conduct a direct audit of Reserve Bank operations.”

Wilson called for the Federal Reserve to be reined in.  “The Fed, although it was created by Congress, is responsible for the nation’s monetary policy, and has engaged in over $7.76 trillion in transactions is beyond the oversight according to its own inspector general, and even beyond the oversight of Congress.  For the House to continue to refuse to audit this unaccountable government monstrosity is inexcusable.”

“The real questions are: What is the Fed hiding? And why are members of the House aiding them? Is the money going to foreign banks? Perhaps to central banks overseas? To China?” Wilson added.

H.R. 1207 would require the Comptroller General to issue an audit of both the Board of Governors and Reserve Bank operations, which are run by member banks of the Fed. The audit would have to be issued to Congressional leadership by the close of 2010.

So far, the Act has 179 cosponsors, including 33 Democrats and 146 Republicans.

“It is up to the constitutional duty of the House to account for these trillions of taxpayer dollars, before it is too late, and before the nation is drowned in insolvency,” Wilson concluded.

#   #   #

According to the letter, “Speaker Pelosi has chosen to politicize the CIA and to demoralize its employees in order to take one more parting shot at the Bush administration, and to try to distract the public from her potentially career-ending exercise of bad judgment. By politicizing the intelligence community, Speaker Pelosi is reviving one of Washington’s most tired and ugly old ways.”

The controversy began when Pelosi said on April 23rd in reference to a 2002 intelligence briefing that “At that or any other briefing… we were not, I repeat, were not told that waterboarding or any of these other enhanced interrogation techniques were used.”

On May 6th, the controversy grew as an intelligence report was released on stating that Pelosi was indeed briefed on the techniques that were used on terrorist suspect Abu Zubaydah in September 2002, as reported by ABC News.

On May 14th, it only grew as she accused the CIA of lying to her: “Those briefing me in Sept. 2002 gave me inaccurate and incomplete information… The CIA was misleading the Congress.”

The CIA Director, Leon Panetta—appointed by Democrat Barack Obama—defended his agency, saying, “It is not our policy to mislead Congress. That is against our laws and our values.”

Wilson, Meese, and other national leaders in their letter wrote that “The national security of the United States is more important than politics.”

Wilson explained, “If it comes down to Pelosi keeping a powerful political position or protecting the security of the nation, security comes first, and Pelosi has to go.”

“Pelosi, number two in line to succeed the Presidency, has completely destroyed her credibility with the intelligence community, and on intelligence-issues central to protecting the security of the United States,” Wilson declared.

“And anyone who cannot be trusted to protect the security of the nation has no place in a leadership position in any branch or office of our representative government,” Wilson concluded.

Editor’s Note: The letter’s signatories are:

Edwin Meese, former Attorney General
David Keene, Chairmain, American Conservative Union
Frank J. Gaffney, President, Center for Security Policy
Wendy Wright, President, Concerned Women for America
Alfred Regnery, Publisher, American Spectator
Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
Brent Bozell, President, Media Research Center
Richard Viguerie, Chairman, ConservativeHQ.com
Becky Norton Dunlop, President, Council for National Policy
William Wilson, President, Americans for Limited Government
Ken Blackwell, former U.S. Ambassador, U.N. Human Rights Commission

Interview Availability: Please contact Alex Rosenwald at (703)383-0880 or at arosenwald@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

“The Obama Administration and California looked eye to eye over the meaning of the Tenth Amendment and Obama blinked.  The states have the right—the duty—to act in their own interests,” said Wilson.

California’s receipt of some $6.8 billion in federal stimulus, supplemental Medicaid money had been conditioned upon the cut, which reduces the state’s maximum contribution to home health workers’ pay from $12.10 per hour to $10.10 in July.  According to the LA Times, an Obama Administration official had claimed the letter was sent out “inadvertently.”

Wilson said he is convinced that the dissemination of the letter was calculated, as was allowing the SEIU to participate on the April 15^th conference call between California and Obama Administration officials.

“There’s no question as to what happened here.” Wilson accused the Obama Administration of attempting to “intimidate California into capitulating to a ruthless leftwing union.”

Last week, ALG News and other media had called for Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to uphold the principle of federalism, and to rescind the ultimatum.

“If the Federal government tries to bully their way, demanding the states act in ways contrary to their own best interests, the states can and should tell the federal government to back off,” Wilson said.  “California did, and it proved the point.  Good for them.”

According to Wilson, the practice of federalism was greatly endangered by the Obama Administration’s initial stand.  “This was an important win for the people of the U.S. because the concept of federalism was upheld and a pay-to-play scandal was stopped dead on its tracks.”

Wilson had previously in a letter urged Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to rescind a controversial ruling by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services mandating that California rescind the pay cuts.

The letter had stated, “As a private, third party,” Wilson wrote, “SEIU participated in a conference call [on April 15th] between the Center of Medicare and Medicaid and the State of California where the Center threatened to withhold emergency stimulus funds from California unless the demands of the union were met.”

While Wilson is satisfied with the outcome, he believes that states need to remain wary of the Obama Administration.  “It is perfectly clear now that the Administration will back down from pushing the states around when brought to task, and states need to continue asserting their interests against federal encroachment,” Wilson warned.

#   #  #

“The House under Nancy Pelosi’s leadership clearly believes that it will suffer politically not if it fails to root out corruption, but if it fails to adequately cover it up,” said Wilson.  “Congress has brought disgrace upon itself and shame upon the people it is supposed to represent.”

According to the Representative Jeff Flake’s resolution, the PMA Group, headed by Paul Magliocchetti, “has given $3.4 million in political donations to no less than 284 Members of Congress.” Additionally, defense appropriations committee lawmakers and staff were routinely showered with food, drink, and gifts.  Lawmakers and staff were annually invited to a posh Alpine Christmas affair.  They were often treated to expensive restaurant outings.

According to the New York times, PMA Group clients gathered billions in earmarks over the years.  Wilson believes that each and every earmark ever lobbied for by the PMA Groups must now be scrutinized.  “No stone should be left unturned,” Wilson said.

In an email preceding the vote, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn warned House Democrats in an email that “If the Flake resolution is referred to the Ethics Committee, members can expect attack ads to be run against them alleging members to be ‘under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.’”

Wilson promised to remind the American people often of its “outright betrayal of ethical and representative government in favor politics as usual in Washington.”

The Flake Resolution failed when it was tabled by a 215-182 vote in Roll Call 243.

“The House needs to drop the pretense.  If Murtha is innocent, then the committee will show it.  But, if the mountain of evidence—that which is already on the public record—proves otherwise, then action needs to be taken,” Wilson declared.

“Anyone who voted to table this resolution voted to conceal a strong appearance of corruption, and one has to wonder: do 215 members who voted to kill the investigation have something herself to hide? Would an investigation into this pay to play morass, earmarks and sole source contracts reveal their names?” Wilson added.

In a recent editorial, the New York Times calls for a full-blown investigation.  “Mr. Murtha and two subcommittee colleagues, Peter Visclosky of Indiana and James Moran of Virginia, received more than $4 million in campaign contributions from contract hungry PMA Group clients, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In two recent budgets alone, the three earmarked $137 million for PMA Group clients. It is time to follow the money — all of it.”

“By voting to sweep the Murtha scandal under the rug, the House has committed a grave disservice to constituents and taxpayers.  Congress needs to decide which comes first: party politics or personal integrity,” Wilson concluded.

Interview Availability: Please contact Alex Rosenwald at (703)383-0880 or at arosenwald@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

According to Wilson, the Center action came in direct response to collusion with officials at the Service Employees International Union.

“It is clear beyond any shadow of a doubt that the Obama Administration is engaging in thuggish aggression of the worst order at the behest of union bosses and at the expense of representative government,” said Wilson in a statement.

On May 11th, the LA Times reported that Sebelius is considering an appeal from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to overturn an April 30th ruling from the Center of Medicare and Medicaid mandating that some $74 million in cuts to home health care workers pay by California scheduled for July 1st be rescinded.

California’s receipt of some $6.8 billion in federal stimulus, supplemental Medicaid money has now been conditioned upon the cut, which reduces the state’s maximum contribution to home health workers’ pay from $12.10 per hour to $10.10.

According to Wilson’s letter to Sebelius, “The State of California, through its elected Legislature with agreement from the Governor, decided on a series of actions to reduce government expenditures. This reduction is critically important. The State is in deep debt, has already increased taxes to the point of diminishing returns, and is facing further erosion in its business base.”

California currently faces a $21.3 billion budget shortfall should a statewide ballot initiative fail on May 19th.

“As a private, third party,” Wilson wrote, “SEIU participated in a conference call [on April 15th] between the Center of Medicare and Medicaid and the State of California where the Center threatened to withhold emergency stimulus funds from California unless the demands of the union were met.”

The letter continues, “Madam Secretary, for an agency under your control to threaten a State government as a service to a private organization—and the SEIU is a private organization—smacks of favoritism to a degree not seen in Washington since the days of the Teapot Dome scandal.”

“The act by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services vindicates Governors Mark Sanford, Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin, and anyone else that refused federal ‘stimulus’ money,” Wilson added.

Several governors across the country have opted not to take the federal “stimulus” funds for their states. At the time, they said it was because federal funds come with strings attached.

Wilson says he believes that the threats against California are only the beginning. “A definite pattern is emerging. First, the Obama Administration gave a union that only held 10 percent of Chrysler’s bonds a 55 percent stake in the company in bankruptcy using threats, and now, a state is being threatened with its Medicaid funding to keep the pay of union workers at current levels.”

Wilson contends that the threats by the federal government against California endanger all states. “If the federal government gets away with this, the precedent will be that unions can simply get what they want out of the states with federal agencies doing their bidding,” Wilson concluded.

Interview Availability: Please contact Alex Rosenwald at (703)383-0880 or at arosenwald@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

“Without pause, the House breathlessly continues to fund a criminal enterprise,” said Wilson.  “Only in Washington does an organization get funded on Thursday that was indicted for 39 felony counts on Monday.”

Spurred on by Nevada charges against ACORN, Wilson on Tuesday called upon House Minority Leader John Boehner to immediately convene hearings investigating the organization for “continuing a nationwide effort to corrupt federal, state, and local elections.”

Wilson also called for an immediate freeze in the disbursement of federal funds to ACORN.

“There is no excuse this outrage.  The only explanation for voting to give money to this racket is that House Democrats are deep in the pocket of ACORN,” said Wilson.

The vote making the ACORN Housing Corporation (AHC) eligible for funding was 245-176.

Wilson also cited ACORN Housing Corporation’s troubled history in giving out cheap mortgages as playing a role in weakening credit standards.  “The ACORN Housing Corporation has been one of the principal backers of the irresponsible loose-lending policies including the Community Reinvestment Act, and has a history of strong-arming banks into handing out high-risk loans to low-income recipients.”

“To make matters worse, ACORN gave out loans without using credit scores as well as100-percent financed loans, and even accepted undocumented income,” Wilson added.

ACORN was made eligible for more than $3 billion under the $787 billion “stimulus” spending bill, and $5.5 billion from the 2010 budget.  Since 1994, ACORN has received at least $53 million from American taxpayers, according to the Washington Examiner.

ACORN is also currently eligible for over $500 million of an “affordable housing fund” created under the $300 billion Foreclosure Prevention Act passed this past summer, and according to the Consumer Rights League receives some 40 percent of its funding from taxpayers annually.

Congress’ vote to fund ACORN came only days after Nevada State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto brought criminal charges against the organization and two former employees for voter registration fraud.  The state says that the organization published a handbook and constructed policies setting up a quota system to register voters.

“By structuring employment and compensation around a quota system, ACORN facilitated voter registration fraud,” Masto said.  “In Nevada, it is unlawful for a person to provide compensation for registering voters that is based on the total number of voters a person registers.”

ACORN has been under investigation for voter fraud in several swing states, including Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Missouri, and has a long history of such fraud in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New Mexico.  Americans for Limited government last year released the following executive summary of its activities.

“The most recent charges in Nevada are not just an isolated incident,” Wilson said.  “These efforts have been concerted and coordinated for years to steal elections, boost urban representation, and weaken the nation’s political institutions.”

Wilson noted that the Census Bureau is enlisting the aid of ACORN in counting the 2010 census.  “Taken together, it is obvious that the registration efforts, the census participation, and the Congressional funding are all connected,” said Wilson.  He said it was “like a pay-to-play scandal, but this is even worse.”

“This is actually an elaborate, coordinated national effort to finance a criminal enterprise devoted to conjuring and developing fraudulent constituencies at taxpayer expense,” Wilson explained.  “And it must come to an end.”

“The House had an opportunity to hold ACORN accountable and make it ineligible for funding, but instead it has joined the enterprise that can only be called criminal,” Wilson concluded.

 

Interview Availability: Please contact Alex Rosenwald at (703)383-0880 or at arosenwald@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

# # #

Wilson also called for an immediate freeze in the disbursement of federal funds to ACORN that he described as “a criminal enterprise whose main purpose is to undermine electoral procedures.”

“The voter registration fraud has been so widespread and so extensive now that if House Republican Leader Boehner does not bring ACORN to account, the organization will continue to run roughshod over the democratic process,” said Wilson in a statement.

“While these criminal investigations are ongoing, Congress has no business funneling taxpayer money to ACORN’s burgeoning accounts,” Wilson added.

ACORN was made eligible for more than $2 billion under the $787 billion “stimulus” spending bill. ACORN is also currently eligible for over $500 million of an “affordable housing fund” created under the $300 billion Foreclosure Prevention Act passed this past summer, and according to the Consumer Rights League receives some 40 percent of its funding from taxpayers annually.

“Congressional Democrats can no longer pretend that ACORN is an above-board organization,” said Wilson. “Further, Congress cannot continue funding a criminal enterprise.”

Wilson’s call for Congressional hearings follows Nevada State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto bringing criminal charges against ACORN and two former employees for registration fraud. The state says that the organization published a handbook and constructed policies setting up a quota system to register voters.

“By structuring employment and compensation around a quota system, ACORN facilitated voter registration fraud,” Masto said. “In Nevada, it is unlawful for a person to provide compensation for registering voters that is based on the total number of voters a person registers.”

ACORN has been under investigation for voter fraud in several swing states, including Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Missouri, and has a long history of such fraud in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New Mexico. Americans for Limited government last year released the following executive summary of its activities.

“The most recent charges in Nevada are not just an isolated incident,” Wilson said. “These efforts have been concerted and coordinated for years to steal elections, boost urban representation, and weaken the nation’s political institutions.”

Wilson reminded the press that in 2008 more than 30,000 more people than were eligible to register in Marion County in Indiana were somehow registered to vote. He also cited:

• Michigan, where municipal clerks have reported that ACORN has been responsible for fraudulent and duplicate voter registration applications statewide.

• Seattle, Washington, where felony charges have been filed against ACORN in the state’s largest voter-fraud case ever in 2007 when the state filed felony charges against several paid ACORN employees and supervisors for more than 1,700 fraudulent voter registrations.

• New Mexico, where officials in Bernalillo County have notified federal authorities of more than 1,000 fraudulent voter registration cards, with ACORN as the prime suspect.

• And Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where election officials have accused ACORN of filing multiple fraudulent voter registrations during the 2008 primary. In March 2008, an ACORN worker in Pennsylvania was sentenced for making 29 phony voter registration forms.

Wilson noted that the Census Bureau is enlisting the aid of ACORN in counting the 2010 census. “Taken together, it is obvious that the registration efforts, the census participation, and the Congressional funding are all connected,” said Wilson. He said it was “like a pay-to-play scandal, but this is even worse.”

“This is actually an elaborate, coordinated national effort to finance a criminal enterprise devoted to conjuring and developing fraudulent constituencies at taxpayer expense,” Wilson explained. “And it must come to an end.”

Wilson has previously called for ACORN to be defunded by Congress for its role in lobbying for loose credit standards that have contributed to the current financial crisis.

“House Minority Leader Boehner needs to take the lead to stop ACORN, freeze its funding, and root out any efforts by the Congressional majority to kick back even more taxpayer dollars to the organization,” said Wilson.

Wilson also encouraged Americans nationwide to visit StopACORN.org to sign a petition calling for ACORN to be investigated for election fraud.

Wilson warned House Republican Leader Boehner to move as quickly as possible to hold ACORN accountable. “There needs to be a sense of urgency to defend our electoral processes. Congress won’t just be preserving the legality of the vote, it will be preserving our representative democracy,” Wilson concluded.

Interview Availability: Please contact Alex Rosenwald at (703)383-0880 or at arosenwald@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

# # #

“The public has a right to know to if and when legislative favors are made in return for lucrative government contracts,” said ALG President Bill Wilson.

The FOIA request includes all contracts between the FDIC and CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), the company Richard Blum chairs. Blum is Feinstein’s husband. The request also includes all communications between the FDIC and CBRE, the FDIC and Feinstein’s office, the FDIC and Blum, and the FDIC and Feinstein.

“The only way the American people are going to get to the bottom of this growing pay-to-play scandal is when this information is made public,” Wilson said.

“Now is the time to cast some sunshine on the cesspool politics that is so often commonplace in Washington,” Wilson added.

On April 21st, the Washington Times reported that Feinstein offered on October 30th, 2008 to secure funds for the FDIC just days before the agency awarded a three-year contract to CBRE “which raises the appearance of impropriety.”

The Feinstein bill would provide the FDIC with an unusual direct grant to expand its mortgage modification and loan guarantee programs. Mr. Blum’s contract with the FDIC could ne him hundreds of millions of dollars in sale of foreclosed properties held by the FDIC.

Americans for Limited Government recently called upon the Senate Ethics Committee to immediately investigate Feinstein’s role in the scandal.

According to the Times story, Feinstein’s $25 billion proposal was a “pet project of FDIC Chairman Sheila C. Bair.” Feinstein ultimately introduced the legislation on January 6th of this year to give direct funds to the FDIC, which originally was supposed to operate by raising money from bank-paid insurance payments.

Feinstein’s unusual move came directly on the heels of her husband receiving a highly lucrative FDIC contract. By March, the FDIC had assigned CBRE 507 foreclosed properties to be sold, worth $221.7 million. It already has under contract to be sold more than $11 million worth of properties.

“We trust that the FDIC will be prompt in turning over the requested documents. Pay-to-play corruption symbolizes why America disdains politics as usual, and until it is rooted out and treated harshly, public confidence in our political system will continue to erode,” Wilson concluded.

Interview Availability: Please contact Alex Rosenwald at (703)383-0880 or at arosenwald@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.