Christopher Dodd

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This is a profile of a former U.S. senator. (See all the Connecticut portal for all incumbents, candidates and blogs.)
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Christopher John Dodd, a Democrat, represented Connecticut in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 2011.

Contents

Record and controversies

Congressional scorecards

Click through the score to see the records of other members of Congress and full descriptions of the individual votes.

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Organization 2007 Scorecard
Score - Agree ratio 		2008 Scorecard
Score - Agree ratio
American Civil Liberties Union not avail. not avail.
American Conservative Union 0 - 0/25 not avail.
AFSCME 100 - 6/7 not avail.
Americans for Democratic Action 70 - 14/20 100 - 20/20
Club for Growth not avail. not avail.
Drum Major Institute not avail. not avail.
Family Research Council 0 - 0/9 0 - 0/9
Information Technology Industry Council 100 - 3/5 100 - 3/5
League of Conservation Voters not avail. 100 - 11/11
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People not avail. not avail.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce 17 - 1/11 not avail.


Countrywide mortgage scandal

Senator Dodd was among the prominent politicians who may have received favorable mortgage deals from Countrywide, a mortgage lender at the heart of the current mortgage crises. According to an investigation conducted by Conde Nast's Portfolio, Countrywide's V.I.P program may have bent rules to offer Senator Dodd a better deal on his Washington town house and Connecticut home mortgages.

Similarly to Sen. Kent Conrad, Dodd is currently under investigation by The Senate Ethics Committee for allegedly receiving two preferential mortgage rates from Countrywide Financial. Dodd claimed to have known about the preferential mortgages rates as early as 2003. As of early 2009, Dodd has claimed to have spent more than $31,316.60 in legal fees.[1]


Main article: Countrywide Mortgage Scandal

Iraq War

Dodd voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in Oct. 2002.

For more information see the chart of U.S. Senate votes on the Iraq War.

Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan Security and Reconstruction Act

In 2003 Dodd offered an amendment to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan Security and Reconstruction Act, 2004, which added $322 million to the $300 million already appropriated towards the purchase of "high-tech body armor, bullet-proof helmets, special water packs to keep soldiers hydrated, and other survival gear." The amendment failed when it was tabled in a 49-37 vote.

Main article: Congressional Actions Providing Body Armor to Troops

2007 Iraq resolutions

On January 16, 2007, Sen. Dodd introduced binding legislation which would cap U.S. troop levels in Iraq at 130,000 (the number of troops in Iraq at the time), this preventing President Bush from adding an additional 21,500.

In early February of 2007, Dodd, as well as Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), threatened to oppose a newly drafted nonbinding resolution opposing George W. Bush's plans of troop escalation in Iraq, claiming that the language of the resolution was "weak." Both senators, however, supported an earlier draft. The newer draft was the result of bipartisan discussion and compromise in attempt to ensure that the resolution would pass. [1]

Main article: Congressional actions regarding President Bush’s 2007 proposed troop “surge” in Iraq

Environmental record

For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Golden Leash Award

The Golden Leash Award was presented Dodd by Public Campaign, April 29, 1998:

"The Golden Leash is a symbol of the ties between special interest money and elected officials. It is awarded to Members of Congress who demonstrate egregious conduct in the quid pro quo practice of dollar democracy.
"This award serves as a reminder of Senator Dodd's acceptance of $910,304 in campaign cash from January 1993 to December 1997 from the Securities, Investment, Accounting and High-Tech Computer industries... Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, Salomon Brothers and others donat[ed] $523,551 in PAC and individual contributions. The accounting industry - perhaps the biggest winners in the 1995 securities litigation reform law - donated $345,903 in PAC and individual contributions. This includes such giants as Price Waterhouse, Ernst & Young and Coopers & Lybrand, among others. Deloitte & Touche's contributions to Senator Dodd increased nearly five-fold from 1995 to 1996 soon after Congress passed the reform law the industry championed. The computer industry - a fairly new player in the campaign contribution field - ponied up $40,850 in contributions."

Public Campaign's report cites the following examples: Dodd was an original cosponsor of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and he helped to organize the Senate's override of President Clinton's veto. The National Securities Market Improvement Act which ultimately weakened oversight that would have protected investors. Dodd lined up as a cosponsor of the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act, an extension of the earlier securities litigation legislation. The bill was strongly supported by The Uniform Standards Coalition, an ad-hoc group of securities, accounting and high-tech computer firms.

Illegal Fundraising - John Huang

Dodd was co-chair of the Democratic National Committee during the John Huang 1996-97 fundraising scandal, sometimes known as Chinagate. John Huang was described by the New York Times as "a former trade official who had been a top fund-raising officer at the Democratic National Committee and a frequent visitor to the White House."[2] Attorney General Janet Reno launched an investigation into solitcitation of questionable campaign contributions from Asia. In the end, The task force created to investigate campaign fund-raising irregularities during the 1996 U.S. elections secured criminal convictions against 17 people by 2001, with Huang eventually pleading guilty. Dodd was not among the investigated or indicted. [3]

According to the conservative organization Judicial Watch, Dodd was a recipient of funds raised by John Huang. [4].

See Also:

Enron/Arthur Anderson Campaign Contributions

On January 30, 2002 Dick Morris wrote in The odd couple: Chris Dodd and Arthur Andersen

"While many candidates of both parties have received campaign contributions from Enron and its self-serving 'independent auditor' Arthur Andersen, very few have passionately fought their cause in Washington as diligently as Chris Dodd. Dodd has received more money from Arthur Andersen than any other Democrat - $54 843.00 - and has aggressively worked to insulate Arthur Andersen and other accounting firms from liability to defrauded investors in cases like Enron."

And in February 2003, Morris wrote:

Dodd protested my [previous] accusations in a letter to the New York Post saying "Dick Morris mistakenly contends that legislation cosponsored by Sen. Christopher Dodd is somehow responsible for the Enron fiasco."
But all independent observers seem to disagree with Dodd. The Washington Post editorialized two weeks ago that "Sen. Chris Dodd, who now proposes reformist legislation, led a battle in 1995 to limit auditor's liability." The Post said that "all the players in this scandal - Enron's managers, its auditors, the lawmakers - helped to create the conditions for Enron's collapse." [5]

President Bush's recess appointment of Sam Fox

President Bush appointed Sam Fox, who contributed $50,000 to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004, as Ambassador to Belgium. The recess appointment comes one week after Bush withdrew the nomination in the face of opposition organized by Sen. John Kerry. Dodd questioned the legal validity of the appointment, which the White House said would last until Congress adjourns at the end of 2008. Dodd said he would ask the General Accountability Office, the watchdog arm of Congress, to investigate the validity of Fox's recess appointment.

2008 presidential aspirations

On January 11, 2007, Dodd announced that he planned to seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2008. He announced on "Imus in the Morning," that "problems at home and abroad meant it was time for him to 'get out of the bleachers and onto the arena floor.'" He described himself as a "black horse" in a Democratic field dominated by presidential candidates like Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama. [6]

Former lobbyist Amos Hochstein, a key member of Dodd's campaign team, was until January 2007 managing Cassidy and Associates's controversial account for the government of Equatorial Guinea.[2][3] Despite President Teodoro Obiang's reputation as a corrupt tyrant, Hochstein remained an enthusiastic supporter. In April 2006 he told the Washington Post that Obiang had "...convinced me of his deep care for his people."[4]

On January 3, 2008, Dodd dropped out of the Presidential race after failing to get a single percentage point in the Democratic Iowa caucuses."[5]

Main article: U.S. presidential election, 2008

Bio

Dodd was born May 27, 1944,in Willimantic, Connecticut. His father was Senator Thomas Joseph Dodd. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Providence College in 1966, Dodd served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic until 1968. After leaving the peace corps, Dodd joined U.S. Army Reserve until 1975. In 1972, earned his J.D. from the University of Louisville. The following year, he was admitted to Connecticut bar, and began practicing law in New London.[7]

In 1974, Dodd was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's second congressional district. He served from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1981.

Dodd was first elected to the Senate in 1980. From 1995 to 1997, he served as General Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. As General Chairman, Dodd was the DNC's spokesman.

Dodd is married to Jackie Marie Clegg, a former director for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. On September 16, 2003, Clegg was appointed to the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). On March 10, 2004 she was appinted for a further three-year term. [8] (Pdf)

Dodd is considered a supporter of the inusrance industry. The trade magazine, Independant Agent, wrote in 1995: "Among others on Senate Banking, Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes of Maryland, the Senate Banking Committee's ranking Democrat, can be expected to take a skeptical approach to financial services modernization in general, while Sen. Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, the No. 2 Democrat," is a strong supporter of the insurance industry. In 2003, Dodd was honored at the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America as "Legislator of the Year."[9]


2008 elections

Sdtp-banner.jpg
 This information was gathered by volunteer researchers as part of the Superdelegate Transparency Project on the superdelegates for the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. For more info see the Connecticut superdelegate tracker or visit the STP homepage.

Before Hillary Clinton conceded the race, Christopher Dodd, as a superdelegate, had endorsed Barack Obama for President.


Money in politics

This section contains links to – and feeds from – money in politics databases. For specific controversies, see this article's record and controversies section.

Top Contributors to during the 2008 Election Cycle
DonorAmount (US Dollars)
Citigroup Inc$ 316,494
United Technologies$ 264,400
SAC Capital Partners$ 248,500
American International Group$ 224,278
Royal Bank of Scotland$ 218,500
Bear Stearns$ 201,000
Goldman Sachs$ 180,200
Credit Suisse Group$ 157,050
Morgan Stanley$ 156,600
JPMorgan Chase & Co$ 134,050
Source: The Center for Responsive Politics' www.OpenSecrets.org site.
Note: Contributions are not from the organizations themselves, but are rather from
the organization's PAC, employees or owners. Totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.
Links to more campaign contribution information for Christopher Dodd
from the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org site.
Fundraising profile: 2008 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by organization/corporation: 2008 election cycle Career totals
Top contributors by industry: 2008 election cycle Career totals


Committees and Affiliations

Committees

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

Board and Other Affiliations

More Background Data


Wikipedia also has an article on Christopher Dodd. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the GFDL.

Contact

DC office
  • 2328 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515
    Ph: 202-225-4071 Fax: 202-226-0371
    Webform email
District offices
  • Putnam Park 100 Great Meadow Road Wethersfield, CT 06109
    Ph: 860-258-6940 Fax: (none entered)
On the Web
Campaign office
  • No campaign website entered.
  • No campaign webform email entered.
  • No campaign office information entered.

Articles and references

See also

References

  1. ↑ "CREW Releases List of Congressional Members Currently Under Investigation", Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, May, 20 2009.
  2. ↑ Ken Silverstein, "Obiang's Banking Again: State Department and Washington insiders help a dictator get what he wants", Harpers Magazine, August 9, 2006.
  3. ↑ "Amos Hochstein to Join Presidential Campaign", press release, Cassidy and Associates, January 16, 2007.
  4. ↑ Michael Grunwald, "A conversation with Amos Hochstein", Washington Post, April 23, 2006.
  5. ↑ Michael Cooper, "Iowa Results Lead Dodd and Biden to Quit Race ", New York Times, January 4, 2008.

External resources

Local blogs and discussion sites

External articles


Semantic data (Edit data)

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Longitude: 0°0′0″E

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