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Saturday, April 17, 2010

Obama's $1M from Goldman in 2008 was a record for any company

President Obama has portrayed himself as the scourge of Wall Street, but that's not how Goldman Sachs's employees and executives saw in in 2008. In his successful White House bid, Obama had no better source of funds: He raised $996,595 from people identifying Goldman as their employer.

Let's put that number in perspective:
  • It's the most any politician has raised from a single company since campaign finance reform.
  • It was four times what John McCain raised from Goldman.
  • It's more than the combined Goldman Sachs total of every Republican in 2008 running for President, House, and Senate. (Source)
Both parties have done their share of favors for Wall Street, and raised their share of money, and the Goldman suit today opens a new round of targets.
Kirsten Gillibrand, who remains without a top-shelf general election challenger, is actually the cycle's largest recipient of contributions from Goldman Sachs employees, and her liberal primary challenger, Jonathan Tasini, demands she give back the $23,800:  (continues here)

1 comment:

Stray Yellar Dawg? said...

So let me get this straight. If Mr. Obama accepts 100's of thousands from Goldman... that is just peachy. But if Ms. Gillibrand accepts a few measly bucks... it's a crisis?

Ben Smith needs to do his research.