From the Perriello Campaign:
September 23, 2008 – Ivy, VA- In an interview with Media General News Service, Rep. Virgil Goode offered no solutions to the current economic crisis, and indicated that he was waiting on the bill as “lobbying intensified.” The American Bankers Association (ABA), the corporate lobbyists who are pushing for the generous bailout with little penalties, is Rep. Goode’s largest corporate contributor this year.
“This crisis is the direct result of Bush, Goode, and the gang in Washington taking money from lobbyists and then letting them off the hook of basic standards of accountability,” said Tom Perriello, Democratic candidate for the fifth district. “We need leaders who put consumers ahead of corporate CEOs and long-term stability ahead of lobbyists. There are plenty of people on Wall Street and in Washington who should be fired for this grave dereliction of duty.”
Goode has received $41,000 in PAC money from the ABA while in Congress. The ABA lobbies Congress on behalf of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, JP Morgan Chase, Merril Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and the Arab Bank. Rep. Goode has been virtually silent as this financial crisis has sent stocks plummeting and increased economic uncertainty across Virginia.
“Goode voted for the deregulation legislation that created this meltdown, took tons from the corporate interest groups that demanded it, and is now sitting on the sidelines as our hard-earned savings get crushed,” said Jessica Barba, Perriello’s communications director. “The same lobbyists that have given Goode tens of thousands of dollars are writing their own bailout bill and asking Main Street to pay for it. We say not one dollar of bailout unless it comes with the accountability and equity shifts that will correct our course.”
Who could have foreseen this? Virgil Goode, paragon of virtue, taking money to hasten the bank failures? Now he wants to just sit around and wait for the same lobbyists that fund his campaign and who gives him marching orders for the Appropriations Committee, he wants these money-stained sellers of everything to write the bill that helps us recover from a mess wholly not of our doing.
Nah. Not the guy who took almost $100,000 from Mitchell Wade, convicted con-man from MZM…
Is it any wonder this country has gone precipitously downhill ever since the Republicans got in the White House and ran Congress?
Anyone who knowingly votes for this bunch should be subject to an education course about who and how this country is being sold out from under us.
Also, if you look at Goode’s financial holdings as reported in his disclosure forms, I believe he has extensive holdings in Sun Trust and a couple other banks. This might also explain his silence. Disclosure forms are available on open secrets.
He didn’t even vote for the bailout, and as far as i can tell perriello would have. That’s why i’m voting for Goode. He’s also fairly good on cutting spending too.
Andrew, that comment is so stupid it makes my head hurt.
Go on now and go out and play in traffic. Be home by dark!
anyone that would vote for this bail out bill has no idea as to how the credit markets really work. in the end this bill is going to make the S&L bail out look small
James.. Suntrust is a good bank who doesn’t sell their portfolios (0.025% are sold). They are not part of this “crisis.” Owning a good stock is smart business as Mark Warner owns many good ones too. Local banks including Bank of the James, Credit Unions, BBT are in great shape and have money to lend. They are secure in their lending practices.
Mark.. your head should hurt with all that brilliance up there. Goode voted against making China most favored nation status unlike Clinton who voted it in and Bush who allowed it to continue. The problem with Goode is he doesn’t fit into nice mold instead he votes for us the community.