Lincoln will not return Goldman Sachs donations
(CNN) - Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Arkansas, said Tuesday she has no plans to return $4,500 in campaign contributions she has received from embattled Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs' political action committee or the company's employees.
"The point here is, the contribution didn't make any difference because I still produced one of the toughest reform bills that's been presented," Lincoln told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley in an interview on The Situation Room.
Lincoln has introduced legislation that she says would require 100 percent transparency in the derivatives market.
Lincoln faces a primary challenge from Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in this year's election. The Halter campaign wasted no time Tuesday responding to Lincoln's decision not to return the contributions.
"I am disappointed that Sen. Lincoln is choosing to keep contributions from Goldman Sachs – one of the very companies she is supposed to be regulating and who was charged last week with fraud," Halter said in a release. "Goldman Sachs was a key player in wrecking our economy and causing thousands of Arkansans to lose their jobs and their homes. It is wrong for Sen. Lincoln to continue to take contributions from the very companies she is supposed to be regulating."
But Lincoln said she is used to competitive races.
"I have to say, you know, I've always had tough races," she said in the CNN interview. "That's just by nature, whether it was my age or my gender. They've always been tough elections. But I think, by and large, Arkansans and Americans see through that."
Goldman Sachs is defending itself from civil fraud charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and has been an active donor to political candidates and parties in the past 20 years.
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Just another taking money and keeping it.
Oooops, should be.....Just another crook taking money and keeping it.
vote her out along with the other liberals who voted for Obamacare.
She will not get my vote.
Greedy little woman isn't she – ops sorry I forgot she is a politician.
Lincoln can keep the money since the money comes from Sachs employees and is fine.
Besides, Blanche, you are going to need every dime when Halter kicks some DINO derriere.
Donating Dallas dollars starts right here and now.
So? Bet ol' Barry won't be returning any donations from Goldman's either.
Another crooked democrat out of a job in November
So she is saying, it's ok if I do it just not ok if you do it...
No big surprise here. Did anyone expect this bimbo to do the right thing and give back the money?
In all that is fair, shouldn't Richard Shelby, Senator (R) Alabama be required to return the $34,600 campaign funding HE received from Goldman Sachs as well.
More GOP hypocracy?
she needs it for retirement like her buddy dirty Harry.
Thats it Blanche,fill those moneybags for that island you bought for your retirement.
Senator Lincoln, if I were you, I would return the money to Goldman. $4,500.00 is a token amount, given the total cost of running for re-election in both the primary and general elections.
You may as well as distance yourself from Goldman, it is more "grist for the mill", if you do not.
Your Democratic primary challenger and your Republican opponent will make an issue of it and you will probably have to spend more money defending the $4,500.00 donation than it is worth.
Like it or not...she's right.
If Halter can't beat her now, he ought to hang it up.
No, this money is now mine. Ethics don't apply to us Democrats, particularly when our president is involved.
Oh well...
Big surprise there. No kickbacks, either, I'm sure.
I'm a dyed in the wool Dem., but this Lincoln gal is just a totally hypocritical sleazebag. She needs to be a Repubican... not for her voting record... but her snake like qualities that rival the worst the Pubes have to offer.
Bought an paid for.
If you want Reid to continue as Majority Leader, vote Lincoln. She doesn't understand the bill she is crafting. Then again, I saw CNN's report on "derivatives" and neither does CNN.
god these people make me sick!!!
Blanche Lincoln is a Dem like I'm the Pope in the Vatican.
I hope she gets ousted and replaced by a real Democrat.
Her, and Ben Nelson, and Mary Landrieu, and a few other DINO's.
Keep their money Senator Lincoln. If they will donate to you even though you won't get in their pocket and do what they want then keep taking it!
I Hope That Senator Lincoln D-Arkansas Keeps The Money, Because The Last Thing On Earth Anybody Would Dare Get Caught With Is Goldman Sach's Blood Money. So That In Turn Would Show How Tone Death And Out Of Touch With Reality She Really Is.
If Halter wins the Democratic Nomination I'm voting for John Boozman in the general.