VIDEO: Hodes leads exodus out the door to avoid Countrywide vote
October 18, 2009 by Patrick
Filed under News & Politics
Democratic Rep. Paul Hodes (NH-02) wants to be a U.S. Senator but he apparently does not want to get to the bottom of the Countrywide Financial scandal that may have involved the trading of sweetheart mortgages to lawmakers in exchange for special favors.
NowHampshire.com has obtained a video showing Hodes leading a procession of Democratic lawmakers out of a Thursday House Oversight Committee meeting in order to avoid a roll call vote on whether or not to subpoena documents relative to Countrywide’s controversial “Friends of Angelo” program. (Hodes can be seen at 1:10 into the appended video leading the barnstorm away from the relevant roll call.)
The “Friends of Angelo” program has ensnared at least two U.S. Senators. Some wonder if Oversight Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns, a Democrat, is among the so-called “Friends of Angelo.” Towns received two loans from Countrywide.
Bank of America, which has acquired Countrywide, has said it will release the information about the “Friends of Angelo” program as soon as it receives a subpoena. But that would require a majority vote by the House Oversight Committee, something that is very hard to achieve when the majority party walks out on the vote, as Hodes and his colleagues did on Thursday.
Hodes is seeking the U.S. senate seat in New Hampshire being vacated by Republican Judd Gregg.
NowHampshire.com contacted Hodes’ spokesman Mark Bergman for an explanation in the Senate hopeful’s role in orchestrating the walkout, but he did not respond.
One of Hodes’ prospective opponents was not as silent, however.
“It’s what has come to be expected of Paul Hodes, putting partisan gain ahead of doing what’s right. We need leaders who are willing to make the tough decisions, to do what’s in the best interest of New Hampshire,” said Brooks Kochvar, campaign manager for former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte.
To Rich Valli
Add this one
#7 The issue in regards to the compensation of the duly elected representatives both in the United States Congress and the United States Senate shall be determined by each individual states and it’s citizens and not by the Federal government. As such, every 6 years, each individual State in the Union shall have a referendum on this day, April 14, for all citizens to vote for the compensation of their elected representatives and 2/3 majority will be needed to pass the issue of compensation. In case of a tie, the previous rate of compensation will continue until a state bill is passed,6 years hence raising compensation .
b)Every elected Representative both in the Senate and in Congress shall by law be prohibited in using Federal monies to build and maintain their staff . Each elected representative will be expected to pay out of their own wealth all the necessities required by their office .
c) Elected Representatives will be subjected to monthly and yearly audits as required by each State law or by referendum. Failure to do so in a timely and accurate manner shall lead to censure and recall by the people of that State .
To Rich Vail:
#6: No campaign donations from outside of the state holding the election, punishable by a mandatory year in prison for each offense. Why do people all over America have a say in who we elect in our state?
Who’s the guy who tries to block the camera? Committee staffer? Security? Could he make it more obvious what he’s trying to do, as he steps back directly in the path of the camera?
And could our esteemed reps look any more abashed or furtive once they spot the camera and either duck their heads or, in at least one case, change their course and veer off in a different direction?
Wow. Like rats scurrying away from the light.
Rich Vail,
You want to force congress to actually work? Are you crazy?
Let’s pay them to stay the hell away from each other and not burden us with any more of their ‘good ideas.’
I always thought that Senators were supposed to do, not just what is right for their state, but what is right for the country as a whole. What about that?
Mr. Hode is obviously doing what is right for the Democratic Party, as is Chris Dodd, Sent Conrad, et al. They, collectively, have screwed the country and are bent on dismantling it it piece-meal. Vote ALL the bums out. Let’s start fresh, with new faces, preferably ones who have never help puplic office before.
I hereby propose the following as the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
1. No citizen of the United States shall be elected to the House of Representatives to more than four (4) consecutive, two (2) year terms to office.
2. No citizen of the United States shall be elected to the United States Senate for more than two (2) consecutive, six (6) year terms of office.
3. No citizen of the United States shall receive any retirement benefits from serving in either the United States House of Representatives or the United States Senate.
4. Congress shall not exempt itself from any laws of the United States of America, in whole or in part.
5. Congress shall be in session for a period of not less than 90 consecutive days in the Spring, and 90 consecutive days in the Summer of each year. Each sitting of Congress may be extended by the President. The Spring session shall start on the first Monday of March. The Summer session shall begin on the first Monday in June. An additional 45 day session to begin on the 2nd Monday of November shall be called by the President if so deemed necessary, this session may not be extended unless a period of National Emergency is formally declared by the President. {This section I think is necessary to basically force Congress to actually work…in the past decade they generally only spend 2 1/2 days per week actually working in Washington, DC. Most often only from Tues afternoon to Thurs afternoon!}