Obama’s Pick for a Federal Watchdog Post Once Tried to Kill a Congressional Watchdog Office

By NORVELL ROSE
Published: May 2, 2013 | 0 Comments

That’s right, fans of ethics and irony in government, President Obama wants a Congressman who once tried to muzzle the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) to be the new top guy at a key federal watchdog agency.

Obama is tapping Mel Watt (D-NC) to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) – that’s the office that oversees government-controlled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The bailed-out mortgage financiers together own or guarantee about half of all outstanding U.S. home loans.

So, let’s get this twisted story straight… Obama wants Watt to keep a watchful regulatory eye on the two troubled mortgage behemoths when it was Congressman Watt himself who once tried to gut the Ethics Office that keeps a watchful eye on Congress. Got it?

In 2010, Watt was the target of a highly publicized investigation by the Ethics office over campaign fund-raising events. That fund-raising involved soliciting and taking large contributions (bribes?) from financial institutions even as Watt was considering legislation to regulate those very institutions. Watt was cleared.

However, his effort to kill the Ethics Office was harshly criticized by C.R.E.W. – Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington – for his “disgraceful attempt to destroy the OCE”.

Key Republicans in the Senate are already lining up against Watt’s nomination by Obama. Industry executives and Washington lobbyists are also gearing up to oppose. They view Watt as a highly political, staunchly partisan player who, as FHFA chief, who would go along with whatever the Obama administration wants.

http://www.libertynews.com/2013/05/o...tchdog-office/