Keating law firm donates $50,000 to McCain campaign

Those voting for the first time this year may not have even been alive during the Keating Five scandal, the political corruption case that threatened to end John McCain's political career back in 1989. Much to the chagrin of those Democrats gesticulating wildly at the very silent elephant in the room, the Obama campaign has largely refrained from touching upon the issue, perhaps preferring to leave past associations well alone, for understandable reasons.

But sometimes history throws little reminders into our present path, and this is one of those times. Campaign finance records have revealed that the law firm founded by Charles Keating - before he went to jail for fraud, racketeering, and conspiracy for his activities as chairman of Lincoln Savings and Loans - has made donations totalling over $50,000 to McCain's campaign.

The Center for Responsive Politics has done the maths, and says: "In amounts ranging from $200 to $2,300, about 30 partners and employees of the legal firm Keating, Muething and Klekamp, as well as their family members, have contributed $50,200 to McCain's 2008 campaign. All but two of the contributions came in July, and all but three of those July donations were logged on July 31, suggesting they were delivered at the same time. As with any bundle of campaign contributions, it's difficult to determine which donor was the "bundler," the person who solicited the contributions on the campaign's behalf. McCain's online roster of bundlers, which purports to name any individual bundling $50,000 or more for the campaign, does not associate any of McCain's major fundraisers with the Keating firm."

This is not improper in itself, and the only Keating included in the bundle is William J. Keating, Jr., Charles Keating's nephew, who is listed as a partner in the firm and contributed $1,000.

But it reminds us of McCain's role in "The Keating Five," a group of senators who received a total of $1.4 million in campaign contributions connected to Keating and personally intervened with government regulators to allow Lincoln Savings and Loans to make highly risky investments that defrauded thousands of investors and cost taxpayers $3.4 billion.

Keating, now 84, once wrote to McCain that "I'm yours till death do us part". Could he be keeping his promise?

Comments

[sally]

Why is this the first time this has been revealed, or is it that the MSM is showing bias?

[Dave S., USA]

It's very interesting that this tidbit of important news has yet to be announced on my side of The Pond

[ken rau]

At least, we know that Mr Keating hasn't forgotten all the "favors" that "honest John" McCain has done for him over the years...ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I am a Republican, voting for BARACK OBAMA. We must end our 8 year "National Nightmare"

[TeeLee]

John should be ashamed to accept any money from Keating! His wife Cindy made $14,500,000 profit on a Keating related real estate deal. That amount of money buys several of John's 7 homes.

[pissed off liberal]

LOL...amazing
birds of a feather

[Dakota]

Good Grief !!

[RASTA]

McCain-Keating Letter: "I'm Yours Till Death Do Us Part"

In the letter, McCain apologized for listing Keating as part of his Senate .... Sort of a Brokeback Finance Committee moment, shared between friends. ...

www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/09/mccain-keating-letter-im_n_133377.html?page=5

[ALFRED]

John McCain was a rich, spoiled son
of an Admiral, grandson of an Admiral,
'MILITARY ROYALTY'.

John McCain will never know what it is
like to EARN an HONEST MAN'S working wage.

He has spent his life defending CROOKS like Charles Keating,
and probably will die, sticking up
for the Republican CROOKS.
He has no law degree, or education
that is evident when he speaks in
public. He is a SHAM, BOGUS,
MEAN, SON-OF-A-BITCH
who should have gone to prison
with Charles Keating.

[Chuck Hovey]

One of many incidents in this man's life that major media has failed to cover. He also accepted several trips to Keating's villa in the Caribbean and wife Cindy entered into a lucrative business deal with Keating as well which endures to this day.

Bottom line is McCain lives for lobbyists and in return, is owned by PACs. He is a sorry example of a Senator who should retire before being thrown out.

[expatriot]

Where are your articles examining the many shady contributions to the Obama campaign?
American politics is corrupt. As Obamans would say: get over it.

[GAYLA GIPSON]

"I'm Yours Till Death Do Us Part" says it all.

[Wildcat]

"It's very interesting that this tidbit of important news has yet to be announced on my side of The Pond"
I think it just has, Dave S. >:)
Wildcat

[Spunky56]

I wouldn't find it surprising that if McBush/Palin wins the election, John would pardon Jack Abramhoff. Good ole boy Jack could than be among the cronies of a McBush regime!

[emmalee]

McCain-Palin! Before you badmouth and desperately dig into Obama's so called past associations, why dont you looking inside your own closet! Luckily for you Obama has more class and integrity than to start robocalls about all of your dishonesty and hypocracy. Im still so disappointed in McCain. I thought you were a leader of integrity. But that was then.... THIS IS NOW.

[R. Paul]

Its disgusting that after all the damage Keating and his other crooks did and the cost to US Taxpayers, that any firm assoicated with Keating would have the gall to make contributions to one of the guilty senators in this dark chapter in US Senate History. Shame on McCain and shame on the Keating law firm.
Why would any person do business with this law firm?

[snwbrdr464]

great...more money for plain to spend on nonessential luxuries.

[Fran]

By the beginning of June, 2008, the Obama campaign had received $7.9 million from Wall Street firms while the McCain campaign had received $4.2 million. Both amounts are obscene, but it is Obama who has set a precedent by refusing public financing for his general election campaign.

Obama raised over $600 million with only $150 million of that in small contributions that are not required to be reported by donor. The idea that Obama is a reformer who doesn't take money from lobbyists and who will overhaul the campaign finance laws in the U.S. is laughable.

[marc]

John McCain palling around with domestic unrepentant embezzlers. Where is the US Coverage on this

[John]

Why is the rest of the world so in to the US election? If the Euro's would just meet their obligation to the Nato-Afghani mission, they might not feel so disrespectful of who and why someone gives a candidate money. Has any one of these Europeans looked at the honesty of the Acorn vote count? Or for that matter has anyone, this country or others, looked at the people and the amount of money given to the Democratic Candidate? No. They don't care and wouldn't know a blown election if it bit them in the butt. Good work, Putin, but we already have your number.

[serving soldier]

Alfred's comments of John McCaine not knowing what an honest day's work is like because he is "Military Royalty" shows his utter ignorance. I can assure you that McCaine would have had to work his butt off and proved himself before he would have been entrusted with a million dollar plane to fly.
As a serving black officer I am constantly fighting against the perception that I got where I am because of my skin colour. I am sure that McCaine may have faced the same issues coming from"Military Royalty". Although, I do not agree with his policies I do respect him as a military man.

[dirtyharry]

No where in this hit piece is it mentioned that McCain was charged only with bad judgement on this deal. And that he was charged only because the democrats wanted a republican to lessen their blame. That he has apologized profusely and said it was the greatest mistake of his life.

It is old news, and I am not gullible enough to believe, without proof, that McCain would knowingly accept donations from Charles Keating.

If you really want to look for something to make your hair curl, check into Obama's affiliations with terrorists, gangsters, Acorn and his own Minister.

[h.c. ecco]

one of the clearest memories of the whitewashed senate self-investigation that merely cited mccain for "poor judgement" for his role in the "keating five" vaudeville is the voice of the late senator howell heflin, in his characteristic drawl, telling mccain "you sold yo' office"...looks like the old navvy is still collecting.

[angie]

whats all the fuss, all politicians in all countries are corrupt!!!!We know this and have seen this for ourselves..The best thing is to pick the best candidate from a bad bunch and hope for the best......

[Cincinnati]

With all due respect to the author, I do not think she has quite done all of her homework. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, and during law school in the mid-1990's I worked as a law clerk at KMK. No one ever dared mention the "Keating 5" affair, and Bill Keating was long gone from the firm at that time - and, as far as I can tell, had no association with him whatsoever aside from the fact that some relatives - successful lawyers in their own right - worked there. What can be said about KMK is that its lawyers are mostly conservative and their clients are some of the key Republicans in the city. Personally I am not supporting McCain's candidacy in this election, but I think that the innuendo in contained in this article only serves to cloud and confuse the political debate we should be having about this election.

[Michael Rose]

Thank you for showing us the ongoing connection between McCain and Charles Keating. McCain has been able to get a free pass for far too long by playing war hero and man of reason while he slithers up to the wretched right and their financiers.