On Friday, the boss took on Democratic congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts at a debate sponsored by the American Jewish Committee in Washington, D.C. Watch here:
Over a year and a half ago, a former staffer to Rep. Barney Frank, the then-chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, took a job with Goldman Sachs as the financial firm’s top lobbyist in Washington, D.C. The staffer had helped write legislation while he was working in the House of Representatives that would have direct consequences on his new employer.
Barney Frank -- unintentionally! -- sums up the problem: "'If it is (a conflict of interest), then much of Washington is involved (in conflicts),' Frank told the Herald last night."
U.S. Rep Barney Frank’s early 2012 re-election vow yesterday sent Democrats scrambling to find a new congressional odd man out while prompting Frank’s 2010 GOP rival to hint at a rematch.
Fox News has called the race in Massachusetts's Fourth District. 30-year incumbent Barney Frank has defeated upstart Republican Sean Bielat. Frank seemed to be facing his first serious challenge in decades, but the Newton Democrat appears to be carrying this race by a large margin.
The Cook Political Report yesterday released 15 new House race rating changes (subscription required), including shifting the race in Virginia between Democratic incumbent Gerry Connolly and Republican Keith Fimian to a toss up. Additionally, Georgia Blue Dog Democrat Jim Marshall's race against Republican Austin Scott was changed from a toss up to leaning Republican.
Frank vowed in February 2009 that he wouldn’t accept campaign donations from banks that received money under the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) or political action committees tied to such institutions.
But Frank has hauled in thousands from top execs at Bank of America, Citizens Bank, Wainwright Bank, JP Morgan Chase and other institutions that received billions in TARP money.
