ABQCOWBOY
02-02-2009, 02:03 PM
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/02/dodd-says-refinance-vip-mortgages/
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd said Monday he'll refinance two mortgages he received through a VIP program from Countrywide Financial Corp., which is accused of giving favorable loan terms to some lawmakers.
Meeting with reporters in his office in Hartford, Dodd said he sought no special treatment from Countrywide when he refinanced his Washington and East Haddam, Conn., homes in 2003. He said he would make mortgage documents available for review Monday afternoon.
"I just wanted to put this behind us," said Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
He said he's switching the loans to a new bank because he was wrongfully labeled a friend of Countrywide's former CEO, Angelo Mozilo. A third party will be involved in choosing the bank, he said.
"Let me be very clear. We are not friends of Angelo Mozilo and we have never been a friend of his," said Dodd, who was accompanied by his wife, Jackie, at the news conference. "The first we ever heard of the 'friends of Angelo' list was through press reports last summer."
Dodd has acknowledged participating in a VIP program at Countrywide, which was sold to Bank of America Corp. last year and has been the focus of allegations that it gave favorable loan terms to lawmakers. Dodd said he thought the VIP status referred to upgraded customer service.
He received a 4.25 percent interest rate for his Washington town house, and a 4.5 percent rate on the loan on his East Haddam home.
The Senate Banking Committee has oversight over the mortgage and banking industries. Dodd also played a key role in crafting the $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan, which allows the government to spend billions of dollars to buy bad mortgage-related securities and other devalued assets from troubled financial institutions.
Dodd said the Senate is still conducting an ethics inquiry into the mortgages. He has turned over documents and answered written questions, but has not been called to testify, Dodd said.
Personally, I am of the opinion that Dodd did much more wrong then this over the past several years. If your not going to hold his feet to the fire over some of the other things, then it's kind of rediculous, IMO, to do it over this. There is not part of me that believes Dodd didn't know about the VIP status and what it was getting him but seriously, many of the other transgretions were much more damaging IMO.
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd said Monday he'll refinance two mortgages he received through a VIP program from Countrywide Financial Corp., which is accused of giving favorable loan terms to some lawmakers.
Meeting with reporters in his office in Hartford, Dodd said he sought no special treatment from Countrywide when he refinanced his Washington and East Haddam, Conn., homes in 2003. He said he would make mortgage documents available for review Monday afternoon.
"I just wanted to put this behind us," said Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
He said he's switching the loans to a new bank because he was wrongfully labeled a friend of Countrywide's former CEO, Angelo Mozilo. A third party will be involved in choosing the bank, he said.
"Let me be very clear. We are not friends of Angelo Mozilo and we have never been a friend of his," said Dodd, who was accompanied by his wife, Jackie, at the news conference. "The first we ever heard of the 'friends of Angelo' list was through press reports last summer."
Dodd has acknowledged participating in a VIP program at Countrywide, which was sold to Bank of America Corp. last year and has been the focus of allegations that it gave favorable loan terms to lawmakers. Dodd said he thought the VIP status referred to upgraded customer service.
He received a 4.25 percent interest rate for his Washington town house, and a 4.5 percent rate on the loan on his East Haddam home.
The Senate Banking Committee has oversight over the mortgage and banking industries. Dodd also played a key role in crafting the $700 billion Wall Street rescue plan, which allows the government to spend billions of dollars to buy bad mortgage-related securities and other devalued assets from troubled financial institutions.
Dodd said the Senate is still conducting an ethics inquiry into the mortgages. He has turned over documents and answered written questions, but has not been called to testify, Dodd said.
Personally, I am of the opinion that Dodd did much more wrong then this over the past several years. If your not going to hold his feet to the fire over some of the other things, then it's kind of rediculous, IMO, to do it over this. There is not part of me that believes Dodd didn't know about the VIP status and what it was getting him but seriously, many of the other transgretions were much more damaging IMO.