Feinstein responds to conflict of interest allegations

SFGate: Politics Blog ^ | 4/21/9 | Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau

[SmithL]

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein today dismissed as "nonsense" allegations that her efforts to bolster funding for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which protects bank depositors, aided her husband Richard Blum's real estate firm.

The story by the conservative Washington Times, which appeared today, said that Feinstein's bill to increase FDIC funding by $25 billion arrived shortly after the agency awarded CB Richard Ellis Group, where Blum is chairman of the board, a contract to sell foreclosed houses.

Blum's firm won the contract through competitive bidding. The purpose of the contract was to help the FDIC dispose of foreclosed properties it received as a result of taking over failed banks.

Feinstein issued a statement saying that the story "makes inaccurate and unfair suggestions of impropriety that are simply not supported by facts."

[SmithL]

Methinks she doth protest too much!

[Carry_Okie]

Methinks the more protesting she doth the more people will notice the skeletons heaped at her feet.

[A_Former_Democrat]

Celebrate the Culture of Corruption

[txroadkill]

The story by the conservative Washington Times...

Got to make sure they discredit the story before they tell it.

[keat]

Btw, this still hasn’t appeared as “news” on the Chronicle’s website. Just a puff-piece blog entry by some clip-haired toady, cut-and-pasted directly from and email from Feinstein’s press secretary.

I emailed the political reporters and editors earlier to find out why it wasn’t news and so far all I’ve gotten back is an auto-reply from one fired reporter.

Nice paper.

[Obadiah]

Imagine if Feinstein were Republican. Just imagine the wall-to-wall scandal/outrage coverage.

[Snickering Hound]

[muawiyah]

Definitely the sort of thing a US Senator shouldn't be involved in lest the public find out she's a common thief (not just a common scold).

Time for Feinstein to catch a plane to Brazil, or prepare for some hard times.

[JoanneSD]

DiFi saying the allegations were just nonsense.. is just like zero saying his team investigated the Blogivich deal in illinois, and there was nothing there..

[Ben Mugged]

TERM LIMITS

[freekitty]

She and her husband have had a conflictt of interest since she started politics.

Isn’t it odd how our politicians are walking around in fine clothes being driven about and have made tons of money while in office and after while the rest of us are going broke?

[spacejunkie01]

Now it’s much clearer why CBRE is sucking wind, financially. Run by a libtard. Their chief economist touts the Keynsian economic model of spending your way out of a recession too! LOL

I asked one of their agents if their economist mentioned tax cuts AT ALL in his big presentation and she said ............”no”.

[lynn4303]

Concerning the smell of this. This should not be allowed to happen. I have always been taught by some very astute leaders that even if everything is on the up and up, that it can be perceived as a conflict of interest should be enough to keep you from doing it. No matter what, Feinsteins husbands group should not even been allowed on the bidding. Not matter what, it appears to stink.

[kcvl]

Lochhead holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley

clochhead@sfchronicle.com

[La.daddyrabbit]

GUILTY!

[kcvl]

TERM LIMITS

Louder!!!

[Safetgiver]

No matter what, Feinsteins husbands group should not even been allowed on the bidding.....Good Lord! She inspected bases that her husband won contracts for services and nothing was mentioned! That beeotch is getting rich.

[Oystir]

I thought CB Richard Ellis Group only sold commercial property, like office buildings. New business opportunity for daddy Feinstein,I guess, bundling foreclosed housing.

[383rr]

How dare this woman ever speak of “coruption”. All her and her ilk do now is pillage and steal from the coffers of the people.

[mainerforglobalwarming]

The gop leadership, whoever that is, should call for her resignation. On every talk show. Forget about the topic of discussion, global warming, torture how great Obama. Everything should be steered back to ending corruption in Washington, and for her resignation.