MORNING READ
Federal regulators may not have investigated Madoff closely because he was a big contributor to Democrats, notes Blue Crab Boulevard. Madoff also had a niece who was married to a Securities and Exchange Commission official, writes TalkingPointsMemo’s Josh Marshall. The government shouldn’t bailout those who invested in Madoff since they were sophisticated investors themselves, writes Townhall’s Carol Platt Liebau.
Jackson in 2006 told federal investigators that he rebuffed a request by Blagojevich for a $25,000 campaign donation, reports the CNN Political Ticker. It seems that Jackson was offended that someone was going to bribe him and that Jackson wasn’t a rat looking to save himself, writes TalkLeft’s Jeralyn.
Vilsack as secretary of Agriculture is bad news for organic consumer activists, who have been railing against environmental practices of Monsanto, a firm that Vilsack has ties to, writes MyDD’s Natasha Chart. President-elect Obama’s appointment of Vilsack, who would have been a strong Senate candidate, makes it tougher for Democrats to defeat Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) in 2010, according to Daily Kos’s brownsox.
FROM THE BLOGS:
OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Bush Prepares Crisis Briefings to Aid Obama – New York Times
More Americans Hurt By Recession, Poll Finds – Washington Post
White House Pressured by Lawmakers on Auto Bailout – AP
Obama’s Charm Offensive Sways Republicans – The Hill