Do a google search and get more information. Yeah, the repubs were in the majority but they needed the help of the demos to pass and veto bills.
In 1993, 88 senators led by Connecticut Democrat Joseph Lieberman thwarted the expensing of stock options. (And he is in charge of the investigations?)
In 1995, nearly half of senate democrats and 89 house democrats helped enact a law (er Clinton's veto) that hindered agrrieved investors' efforts to win lawsuits agisnt firms and auditors that may have misled them. The law also eased penalties on misbehaving CEOS. A prime backer was Connecticut democratic senator Christopher Dodd, an accountng industry favorite and cochairman of the national party.
In 2000, many key democrats went against SEC Levitt whe he sought to end the big accounting firms; practice of consulting for lucrative fees with companies on business strategy while auditing their books in a supposedly objective manner. New Jersey democrats Sen. Robert Torricelli (himself under investigation for fraud) helped the GOP erect roadblocks, including threats to slash Levitt's budget. AT an ARthur Andersen's hearing, Torricelli told Levitt, "We were wrong, you were right."
In 2002, Democaratic chairman, acquired his GlobalCrossing stock before he firm went public, with an assist from frounder Gary Winnick. The belief is that McAuliffe got this perk b/c of his ties to President Clinton.