Levin, C Sen

===

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin</a>

elected 1979

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Record_and_controversies" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"> Record and controversies</a>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Statements_and_action_on_the_Iraq_war" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.1.1 Statements and action on the Iraq war</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-4" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Amendment_to_the_Authorization_for_the_Use_of_Military_Force_.28AUMF.29_against_Iraq" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.1.2 Amendment to the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-5" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Amendment_to_the_FY2007_National_Defense_Authorization_Act" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.1.3 Amendment to the FY2007 National Defense Authorization Act</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-6" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Opposition_to_President_Bush.27s_troop_.22surge.22" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.1.4 Opposition to President Bush's troop "surge"</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-7" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#The_Levin-Reed_Timeline" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.1.5 The Levin-Reed Timeline</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Environmental_record" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.2 Environmental record</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#FY2008_budget" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.3 FY2008 budget</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Reparations_for_Japanese_Latin_Americans" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">1.4 Reparations for Japanese Latin Americans</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Background" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2.1 Background</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Senate_Career" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">2.2 Senate Career</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Money_in_politics" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">3 Money in politics</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-15" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Committees_and_Affiliations" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4 Committees and Affiliations</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Committees" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.1 Committees</a>

<li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-17" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Committee_assignments_in_the_109th_Congress_.282005-2006.29" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">4.1.1 Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#More_Background_Data" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">5 More Background Data</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Contact" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">6 Contact</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Articles_and_Resources" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7 Articles and Resources</a>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-21" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Resources" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7.1 Resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-22" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Local_blogs_and_discussion_sites" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7.2 Local blogs and discussion sites</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-23" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Press_Releases" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7.3 Press Releases</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-24" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Articles" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7.4 Articles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-25" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#Congresspedia.2FSourceWatch_Resources" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">7.5 Congresspedia/SourceWatch Resources</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</div>

<h2 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Record and controversies</h2>

<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0.5em 0.75em; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid rgb(92, 121, 181); padding: 0.25em; background: rgb(220, 232, 248);">General information about important bills and votes for can be found in Congresspedia's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Category:U.S._legislation" title="Category:U.S. legislation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">articles on legislation</a>. You can add information you find on how Carl Levin voted by clicking the "[edit]" link to the right and typing it in. Remember to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Help:References" title="Help:References" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">cite your sources</a>!</div>

<h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Statements and action on the Iraq war</h4>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mediamouse.org/features/040307michi.php" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Michigan Senator Carl Levin on the Iraq War: His Views and Policies in Public Statements September 2002 to March 2007 (Part 1: 03/27/07 to 06/02/03)</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mediamouse.org/features/040307part_.php" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Michigan Senator Carl Levin on the Iraq War: His Views and Policies in Public Statements September 2002 to March 2007 (Part 2: 04/11/03 to 09/04/02)</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">November 13, 2006: "U.S. troops should begin coming home from Iraq in the next four to six months."<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#cite_note-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a></li>

</ul>

<h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Amendment to the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq</h4>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Congressional_actions_on_the_Iraq_War_prior_to_the_2003_U.S._invasion" title="Congressional actions on the Iraq War prior to the 2003 U.S. invasion" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Congressional actions on the Iraq War prior to the 2003 U.S. invasion</a></dd>

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<h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Amendment to the FY2007 National Defense Authorization Act</h4>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Congressional_actions_on_the_Iraq_War_following_the_2003_U.S._invasion" title="Congressional actions on the Iraq War following the 2003 U.S. invasion" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Congressional actions on the Iraq War following the 2003 U.S. invasion</a></dd>

</dl>

<h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Opposition to President Bush's troop "surge"</h4>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Congressional_actions_regarding_President_Bush%E2%80%99s_2007_proposed_troop_%E2%80%9Csurge%E2%80%9D_in_Iraq" title="Congressional actions regarding President Bush’s 2007 proposed troop “surge” in Iraq" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Congressional actions regarding President Bush’s 2007 proposed troop “surge” in Iraq</a></dd>

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<h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Levin-Reed Timeline</h4>

<p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jack_Reed" title="Jack Reed" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Jack Reed</a> (D-R.I.) proposed an amendment that would start troop withdrawals from 120 days after its passage, to be completed by April 1, 2008. In the interim, troops in Iraq would have their mission shift to training Iraq troops, fighting al-Qaeda, and protecting themselves from attack. Similar legislation had been introduced in the past; the bill's predecessor had been pushed through Congress by Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Harry_Reid" title="Harry Reid" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Harry Reid</a> (D-Nev.), though it was vetoed by President <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">George W. Bush</a>.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Carl_Levin#cite_note-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[2]</a>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/FY_2008_Defense_Department_authorization#The_Levin-Reed_Timeline" title="FY 2008 Defense Department authorization" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">FY 2008 Defense Department authorization#The Levin-Reed Timeline</a></dd>

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<h3 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Environmental record</h3>

<h3 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">FY2008 budget</h3>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Congressional_actions_on_the_federal_budget/110th_Congress" title="Congressional actions on the federal budget/110th Congress" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Congressional actions on the federal budget/110th Congress</a></dd>

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<h3 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Reparations for Japanese Latin Americans</h3>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Redress_for_Japanese_Latin_Americans/U.S.legislation#Commission_on_Wartime_Relocation_and_Internment_of_Latin_Americans_of_Japanese_Descent_Act_of_2007" title="Redress for Japanese Latin Americans/ U.S. legislation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Redress for Japanese Latin Americans/ U.S. legislation#Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act of 2007</a></dd>

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<h3 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Background</h3>

Levin was state assistant attorney general and general counsel for the Michigan civil rights commission from 1964-1967. He was special assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan and chief appellate defender for the city of Detroit from 1968-69. He was a member of the Detroit City Council 1969-77, the last four years as council president.

Levin's family has long been active in Michigan politics. His older brother, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Sandy_Levin" title="Sandy Levin" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Sandy Levin</a>, has served in the U.S. House since 1983. His uncle, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Levin" class="extiw" title="w:Theodore Levin" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background: none;">Theodore Levin</a>, was a federal judge. His first cousin, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Levin" class="extiw" title="w:Charles Levin" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background: none;">Charles Levin</a>, was a Michigan Supreme Court judge. His first cousin, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Levin" class="extiw" title="w:Joseph Levin" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); background: none;">Joseph Levin</a>, was a candidate for the House.

<h3 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Senate Career</h3>

<p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to his <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://levin.senate.gov/levbio.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Senate biography</a>, Levin has earned a reputation as a strong supporter of our national defense and an effective waste fighter.... In 2002, as chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Permanent_Subcommittee_on_Investigations" title="Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations</a>, Levin led Congress' most in-depth examination into the collapse of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Enron_Corporation" title="Enron Corporation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Enron Corporation</a>. Levin also initiated an investigation into gasoline price spikes, and in April 2002 he issued a 400 page report and chaired hearings detailing how U.S. retail gasoline prices are manipulated.

Levin's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Whistleblower_Protection_Act&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Whistleblower Protection Act (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Whistleblower Protection Act</a> protects federal employees who expose wasteful practices. Levin also helped author the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Taxpayers_Bill_of_Rights&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Taxpayers Bill of Rights (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Taxpayers Bill of Rights</a>, which protects individuals and small businesses from IRS harassment. In 1995, he won passage of strict disclosure requirements for lobbyists, the first major overhaul of those laws in 50 years. He has fought for increased funding for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Head_Start&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Head Start (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Head Start</a> preschool program, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Title_I&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Title I (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Title I</a> for educationally disadvantaged students, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pell_Grant&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Pell Grant (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(165, 88, 88); background: none;">Pell Grants</a> and loans for college and vocational school students.<a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://levin.senate.gov/levbio.htm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">[1]</a>

<h2 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Money in politics</h2>

<table class="prettytable" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(249, 249, 249);"><tbody><tr><th colspan="3" style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em; text-align: center; background: rgb(242, 242, 242);">Links to more campaign contribution information for Carl Levin

from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> site.</th></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Fundraising profile:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?cid=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Top contributors by organization/corporation:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allcontrib.asp?cid=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Career totals</a></td></tr><tr><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;">Top contributors by industry:</td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?cycle=2006&cid=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">2006 election cycle</a></td><td style=" border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 0.2em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allindus.asp?cid=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Career totals</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/search_result.asp?mem=Levin%2C+Carl" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Revolving door profile for Carl Levin</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/travel.asp?CID=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">2006 privately funded travel profile for Carl Levin</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/candlook.php?CID=N00001691" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Personal finance profile for Carl Levin</a> from the Center for Responsive Politics' <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opensecrets.org/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">OpenSecrets.org</a> website.</li>

</ul>

<h2 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Committees and Affiliations</h2>

<h3 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Committees</h3>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Small_Business_and_Entrepreneurship" title="Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Select_Committee_on_Intelligence" title="Senate Select Committee on Intelligence" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Senate Select Committee on Intelligence</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Homeland_Security_and_Governmental_Affairs" title="Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs</a>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Investigations</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information and International Security</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Armed_Services" title="Senate Committee on Armed Services" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Senate Committee on Armed Services</a> - Chairman</li>

</li></ul>

<h4 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)</h4>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Committee_on_Homeland_Security_%26_Governmental_Affairs" title="Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs</a>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations - Ranking Minority Member</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management Government Information and International Security</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Senate_Select_Committee_on_Intelligence" title="Senate Select Committee on Intelligence" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Senate Select Committee on Intelligence</a>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Subcommittee on Oversight of the Terriorist Surveillance Program</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Director of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Henry_M._Jackson_Foundation" title="Henry M. Jackson Foundation" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Henry M. Jackson Foundation</a></li>

</li></ul>

<h2 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.2px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">More Background Data</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=S0430103" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Background information on Carl Levin from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0430103" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Interest group scorecard ratings for Carl Levin from Project Vote Smart</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/l000261" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Voting record for Carl Levin from the Washington Post database</a></li>

</ul>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=MISR&site=congressmerge" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Information on Carl Levin from Congress Merge</a></li>

</ul>

<p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.2px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Wikipedia</a> also has an article on <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Levin" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">Carl Levin</a>. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GFDL" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAVElEQVR42n3PgQkAIAhEUXdqJ3dqJ3e6IoTPUSQcgj4EQ5IlUiLE0Jil3PECXhcHGBhZ8kg4hwxAu3MZeCGeyFnAXp4hqNQPnt7QL0nADpD6wHccLvnAKksq8iiaAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC) 100% 50% no-repeat;">GFDL</a>.

===

<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/hedge-fund-taxes-superpacs-election-renaissance">http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/hedge-fund-taxes-superpacs-election-renaissance</a>

As Democrats and Republicans battle for control of the Senate, hedge funds are <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=F2700" style=" text-decoration: underline !important;">dumping millions of dollars into congressional campaigns</a> [1]. Most of these companies are lining up behind one party or the other. But the second-biggest spender, Long Island-based Renaissance Technologies, is playing both sides of the aisle. As of early September, the firm's CEO, Robert Mercer, had given $3.1 million to Republican candidates and super-PACs. Its founder and chairman, James Simons—a brilliant former National Security Agency code breaker—had donated $3.2 million to their Democratic counterparts.

Neither man has spoken publicly about his motives, but the donations coincide with at least two federal investigations into Renaissance's business dealings. In July, Renaissance executives were <a href="http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/investigations/hearings/abuse-of-structured-financial-products_misusing-basket-options-to-avoid-taxes-and-leverage-limits" style=" text-decoration: underline !important;">hauled before a Senate subcommittee</a> [2] and grilled about the company's use of complex financial instruments to dodge billions of dollars in taxes and skirt federal leverage limits, which protect the financial markets from swings and crashes. As Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) put it during the hearing, "excessive leverage" can "bring down not just a reckless borrower, but the financial institution that lent it money, and that failure can ripple through the entire financial system."

</div>

Michigan: Michigan has eight Dirty Air Villains: Reps. Dan Benishek (R-MI1), Bill Huizenga

(R-MI2), Justin Amash (R-MI3), Fred Upton (R-MI6), Tim Walberg (R-MI7), Mike Rogers (RMI8),

Candice Miller (R-MI10) and Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI11). The state has five Clean Air

Heroes: Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and Reps. Hansen Clarke (D-MI13), John Conyers (D-MI14),

Dale Kildee (MI-5) and Sander Levin (D-MI12).

===

By Jim Puzzanghera

August 10, 2012, 11:33 a.m.

</div>

WASHINGTON — The <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORGOV0000160" title="U.S. Department of Justice" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/crime-law-justice/u.s.-department-of-justice-ORGOV0000160.topic">Justice Department</a> said it would not pursue criminal charges against <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORCRP015181" title="Goldman Sachs Group, Inc." href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/goldman-sachs-group-inc.-ORCRP015181.topic">Goldman Sachs Group Inc.</a> or its employees related to allegations by a Senate panel that the bank deceived investors and Congress about its activities in the subprime mortgage market.

After an “exhaustive review” that began last year, investigators “concluded that the burden of proof to bring a criminal case could not be met based on the law and facts as they exist at this time,” the Justice Department said in a statement released Thursday night.

The officials said they could change their minds “if any additional or new evidence emerges.”

The investigation by officials from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the U.S. attorney’s office for the southern district of New York, the <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORGOV000008" title="FBI" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/crime-law-justice/crimes/fbi-ORGOV000008.topic">FBI</a> and other agencies began after a scathing report regarding Goldman was issued in April 2011 by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

The panel, which conducted a bipartisan, two-year probe into the origins of the financial crisis, concluded that Goldman was a major culprit.

The subcommittee’s report, based on internal memos, emails and interviews with employees of financial firms and regulators, said Goldman profited from the crisis by betting billions of dollars against the mortgage market and then misled the bank’s clients and lawmakers about its activities.

The committee’s investigation included a high-profile hearing in which senators grilled Goldman Chief Executive <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PEBSL0000918" title="Lloyd Blankfein" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/companies-corporations/corporate-officers/lloyd-blankfein-PEBSL0000918.topic">Lloyd Blankfein</a>. He testified that the bank had not consistently tilted its own investments heavily against the housing market, also known as having a “net short” position, as it was selling mortgage-related securities to its clients.

The subcommittee’s report said Goldman’s own financial records and internal communications directly contradicted Blankfein’s denial.

Goldman had strongly challenged the subcommittee’s findings, saying the company had acknowledged being intermittently net short but never had a "massive net short position."

On Friday a company spokesman said, “We are pleased that this matter is behind us."

But Sen. <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PEPLT003901" title="Carl Levin" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/politics/carl-levin-PEPLT003901.topic">Carl Levin</a> (D-Mich.), the subcommittee’s chairman, said he stood by his panel’s findings.

“Whether the decision by the Department of Justice is the product of weak laws or weak enforcement, Goldman Sachs’ actions were deceptive and immoral,” Levin said.

The lack of prosecution by federal officials highlighted the need to prevent banks from convincing regulators and Congress to water down new rules in the 2010 financial reform law designed to prevent another crisis, Levin said.

The Justice announcement came after Goldman reported in a regulatory filing Thursday that the <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORGOV000050" title="U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/market-exchange/securities/u.s.-securities-exchange-commission-ORGOV000050.topic">Securities and Exchange Commission</a> had decided not to file charges against the firm over a $1.3-billion subprime mortgage portfolio. The SEC was investigating Goldman’s disclosures about the portfolio, which was offered to investors in 2006.

In 2010, Goldman agreed to pay pay $550 million to settle SEC allegations that the bank misled investors who bought some mortgage-related securities.=<div><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-people-vs-goldman-sachs-20110511" class="module-related-article-title tracked-offpage" data-track-action="Tap Related" data-track-category="Article Page" data-track-label="/politics/news/the-people-vs-goldman-sachs-20110511" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.2; letter-spacing: -0.2px;">The People vs. Goldman Sachs: Why Top Execs Should Stand Trial</a>A Senate committee has laid out the evidence. Now the Justice Department should bring criminal charges</div><div></div><div>http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/the-vampire-squid-occupies-trumps-white-house-w456225</div><div>
</div><div>Back on February 19th, during a primary-season speech in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Donald Trump <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/19/politics/donald-trump-ted-cruz-goldman-sachs/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">directed a two-pronged rhetorical offensive</a> against opponents in both parties. He started with Ted Cruz.</div>
"I know the guys at Goldman Sachs. They have total, total control over [Cruz]," Trump said. "Just like they have total control over Hillary Clinton."Cruz's campaign, Trump pointed out, had taken loans from the infamous investment bank Goldman Sachs. And he'd failed to properly disclose one of these loans. Trump demonized the bank enough that it almost seemed like genuine animosity existed between candidate and squid. When Goldman <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/09/06/goldman-elite-trump-pence/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">announced in September</a> that it was banning employees from donating to Trump's campaign, it seemed official.In October, Trump was even more specific in pointing the finger at Goldman. Referencing speeches Clinton gave to Goldman, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/us/politics/trump-comments-linked-to-antisemitism.html?r=0" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Trump said that</a> "Hillary Clinton meets in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of U.S. sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers, her special interest friends and her donors."Trump's tales sounded like classic Rothschild/Bilderberg conspiracy lore. They would have been absurd, were it not for the fact that so much of the innuendo around Goldman Sachs often turns out to be true.The bank has an extraordinary history of placing its executives in high-ranking governmental and quasi-governmental positions, from treasury secretaries to senators to the heads of the World and European Central Banks. Goldman has been implicated in the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/goldman-sachs-agrees-pay-more-5-billion-connection-its-sale-residential-mortgage-backed" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">trafficking of toxic mortgages</a>, a sprawling <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/02/20/fbi-gathers-clues-in-massive-goldman-sachs-money-scandal/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">state corruption case</a> in Malaysia, the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-commodities-banks-goldman-hearing-idUSKCN0J40AA20141121" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">manipulation of world commodity prices</a> and a heinous episode involving Greece in which the bank helped to mask the country's ballooning debt while simultaneously <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/business/global/25swaps.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">working with JPMorgan Chase</a> to create an index for betting against Greece's economy.Nonetheless, Trump's insinuations about a Goldman-Hillary secret conspiracy were so pointed that CEO Lloyd Blankfein was forced to respond."If there's some secret international cabal, I've been left out of the party again," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lloyd-blankfein-goldman-sachs-ceo-responds-to-donald-trump-2016-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">he quipped</a>.In his final pitch to voters in the days before the election, Trump used the image of Blankfein in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vST61W4bGm8" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">a TV ad</a> to argue that insiders had ruined the lives of ordinary Americans to enrich themselves. Here is the narration you heard when Blankfein's face came on screen:"It's a global power structure that is responsible for the economic decisions that have robbed our working class, stripped our country of its wealth and put that money into the pockets of a handful of large corporations and political entities."<aside class="inset-image inset-full" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 660px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;">
<figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0.8em;">Trump at an August campaign rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty img]</figcaption></figure></aside>One surprise election result and a mountain of jubilant #draintheswamp hashtags later, Donald Trump has filled his White House with, you guessed it, Goldman veterans.His chief strategist, the unabashed white-supremacist loon Steve Bannon, is a former Goldman banker, as is adviser Anthony Scaramucci. Steve Mnuchin marks the fourth Goldman-pedigreed treasury secretary in the last four presidencies, after Bob Rubin, Lawrence Summers and Hank Paulson.But the real shocker is the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/12/trump-to-appoint-goldman-sachs-president-gary-cohn-as-top-economic-adviser/?utm_term=.ff0f7a166364" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">recent appointment</a> of Goldman Chief Operating Officer Gary Cohn to the post of director of the National Economic Council. Bannon and Mnuchin were former, past Goldmanites. Cohn, meanwhile, is undoubtedly at least the number-two figure at the world's most despised bank, if not the outright co-head with Blankfein. He has been at the center of many of its most infamous episodes, including <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/business/global/14debt.html?pagewanted=all&r=0" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">the Greek affair</a>.So much for draining the swamp.The new party line, emanating both from Washington and from Alt-Right yahoos on the Internet, is that people like Gary Cohn are no longer the swindling scum-lords Trump said they were a few months ago, but simply smart businessmen.<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/12/trump-to-appoint-goldman-sachs-president-gary-cohn-as-top-economic-adviser/?utm_term=.9bf2139085cf" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">As Trump put it</a>, "Gary Cohn is going to put his talents as a highly successful businessman to work for the American people."This mantra is often used to explain Goldman's legend. Its advocates say they may be cold-blooded, but they're just dern good at what they do.The bank has worked very hard to nurture exactly that image, particularly when there are darker explanations for the bank's success that they would rather leave unexplored. A great example involves Cohn, Trump's new "top economic adviser."Way back in November of 2007, a tidal wave was beginning to devour Wall Street. The subprime mortgage market was collapsing, and the bulk of America's investment banks were foundering.Indeed, within a year, three of the country's storied top five investment banks – Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers – would be wiped out by the crisis, thanks mainly to their overinvestment in subprime.One bank stood out as an exception: Goldman Sachs.The legend on the street was that Goldman was somehow not only going to survive the crash, but prosper and make big profits. How did Goldman do so well during a financial hurricane? The New York Times had an answer: its leaders were smart – and humble!"Goldman's secret sauce, say executives, analysts and historians," <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/19/business/19goldman.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">the paper wrote</a>, "is high-octane business acumen, tempered with paranoia and institutionally encouraged — though not always observed — humility."Where did writers Jenny Anderson and Landon Thomas Jr. get the idea that Goldman's smarts saved them during the mortgage crisis? From Goldman, of course.We know this because of an investigation conducted into the bank's a-little-too-miraculous performance that year <a href="https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/investigations/media/senate-investigations-subcommittee-releases-levin-coburn-report-on-the-financial-crisis" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations</a>.Chaired by Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, the PSI scrupulously detailed the efforts by Goldman to get out from under the mortgage crash by dumping its disastrous mortgage investments on its own clients as it simultaneously bet against them.This maneuver, colloquially described since as the "Big Short" episode, was perhaps the most lurid example of Wall Street iniquity during the crash years. And Trump's new economic adviser, Cohn, played a central role.<aside class="inset-image inset-full" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 660px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;">
<figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0.8em;">Michigan Senator Carl Levin. Mark Wilson/Getty</figcaption></figure></aside>In the run-up to the "Big Short" story – in the years leading up to 2007 – Goldman had joined other banks in helping cause the financial crisis. They'd done so by creating masses of toxic mortgage instruments and selling them to unsuspecting investors, who were (often falsely) told the loans met underwriting standards. Goldman, like <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2013/11/19/investing/jpmorgan-mortgage-settlement/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">JPMorgan Chase</a>, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/bank-america-pay-1665-billion-historic-justice-department-settlement-financial-fraud-leading" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Bank of America</a> and <a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/07/14/citigroup-and-u-s-reach-7-billion-mortgage-settlement/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Citigroup</a>, would later <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/goldman-sachs-agrees-pay-more-5-billion-connection-its-sale-residential-mortgage-backed" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">pay billions</a> to settle claims by its infuriated customers, which included state and federal housing authorities.At the tail end of 2006, Goldman execs saw that a) the subprime mortgage market was in serious trouble, and b) the bank itself was dangerously overinvested in it. So they made a frenzied, often deceptive effort to induce their clients to eat what should naturally have been their own losses.On December 14th, 2006, mortgage chief Daniel Sparks proposed: "Distribute as much as possible on bonds created from new loan securitizations and clean previous positions."Translation: Let's create new mortgage-backed products to dump on others, and use them to "clean" our toxic portfolio.In one mortgage-based deal called Hudson 1 securities, Goldman helped sell its toxic holdings by saying the bank's interests were "aligned" with those of potential clients, because it would own a tiny, $6 million slice of the deal.The bank left out the fact that it had a $2 billion bet against the same deal.In the same deal, Goldman told clients that the mortgage products in Hudson had been "sourced from the Street," i.e., that this stuff did not come from Goldman's own inventory. When Senate investigators later pressed Goldman executives on this question, they hilariously claimed this wasn't a lie, because Goldman <a href="http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Financial_Crisis/FinancialCrisisReport.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">was part of "the Street."</a>"They were like, 'We are the Street,'" one investigator told me, laughing.Through deals like this, Goldman within months went from having a $6 billion bet on mortgages to having a $10 billion bet against them – a "big short."All of these moves were made with the <a href="http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Financial_Crisis/FinancialCrisisReport.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">assent of the Firmwide Risk Committee</a>, which included Goldman CFO David Viniar, Blankfein and Cohn.They would go on to fleece other clients. In the summer, an Australian hedge fund called Basis Capital was induced to buy $100 million of a mortgage-based Goldman deal called "Timberwolf." They told the Aussies to expect a return of "over 60 percent."Meanwhile, in private, Goldman execs were saying <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-goldmansachs-lawsuit-idUSTRE79R4JE20111028" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">things like</a>, "Boy, that timberwof [sic] was one shitty deal."The sales rep who got Basis to buy was so elated that the subject line of his email read "Utopia." He told other execs he'd found the ultimate sucker. "I found white elephant, flying pig and unicorn all at once," he crowed.Basis Capital later claimed it <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-goldmansachs-lawsuit-idUSTRE79R4JE20111028" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">lost $56 million</a> in six weeks. It <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/30/basis-alpha-bankruptcy-markets-equity-cx_vk_0830markets03.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">filed for bankruptcy</a> within months of the Timberwolf deal.Getting back to the Times story about how Goldman's smarts and humility saved them during the crash: One of the documents the Senate investigators discovered was an email from Goldman press flack Lucas van Praag to a group of senior Goldman executives that included Blankfein, Cohn and Viniar.Van Praag wanted to warn the leadership that there was a Times piece coming that would examine why Goldman managed to prosper at a time when everyone else was being wiped out. Van Praag did not, of course, tell The Times that Goldman had survived by making sure that its clientele bought up what Blankfein called the "cats and dogs" of its toxic inventory.What van Praag instead said was more Trumpian: that Goldman just had a winning culture."We spent a lot of time on culture as a differentiator," van Praag told his bosses, when describing his interactions with apparently gullible reporter Jenny Anderson. "She was receptive."In response to van Praag's email, Blankfein wrote, "Of course we didn't dodge the mortgage mess. We lost money, then made more than we lost because of shorts."This is the same Lloyd Blankfein who testified years later in the Senate: "We were not consistently or significantly net-short the market in residential mortgage-related products in 2007 and 2008."He added, "We didn't have a massive short against the housing market, and we certainly did not bet against our clients."When Sen. Levin heard Blankfein say he didn't have a "massive short" during 2007, he was furious. "Heck, yes, I was offended," he told Rolling Stone. "Goldman's CEO claimed the firm 'didn't have a massive short,' when the opposite was true."We know the "opposite was true" because of the extensive email record these arrogant yutzes left behind. One of the smoking guns involved Cohn. On July 25, 2007, Viniar sent Cohn an email pointing out the huge losses and writedowns that other banks were experiencing."Tells you what might be happening to people who don't have the big short," Viniar told Cohn.<aside class="inset-image inset-full" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 660px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;">
<figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0.8em;" /></figure><figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;">img doc]</figure></aside>In the heat of the meltdown, there was some gallows humor between Cohn and Blankfein. At one point the two men seemed to be trying to figure out where they were with their mortgage strategy, and what to do going forward. "We are marking both sides," Cohn says. "There is a net short." "Bet all the dads at camp are talking about the same stuff," Blankfein joked.Goldman's higher-ups ended up having a great year. While the whole financial world was collapsing due in large part to behaviors like that of his own bank, Blankfein made $68.5 million, a record for a Wall Street executive. Cohn <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/01/goldman-sachs-200101" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">made $67.5 million</a>. The two were the McGwire and Sosa of the profiting-off-others'-misery era. The bank, meanwhile, would lay off <a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com//2008/11/06/goldman-sachs-laid-off-thousands-this-week-report-says/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">3,200 lower-level employees</a> within a year.Goldman probably should have gone out of business in 2007-2008. Two little-discussed acts of government welfare in September of 2008 helped save the company.First, there was the infamous <a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/goldman-morgan-to-become-bank-holding-companies/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">emergency granting of Commercial Bank Holding Company status</a> to Goldman. Have you ever seen a Goldman branch or a Goldman ATM? Probably not, because it isn't a commercial bank. But on September 21st, 2008, the government gave it permission to call itself one.This move, so desperately needed that it was executed on a Sunday night, allowed Goldman access to mountains of life-saving cash from the Federal Reserve.The other key move was a decision by the SEC to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5844171" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">ban short-selling of financial stocks</a>. This nakedly anticapitalist maneuver allowed Goldman to fend off attacks by speculators who correctly sensed the company was in deep trouble.Apart from the SEC order, major shareholders like pension funds in New York and California also agreed to stop lending shares of Goldman and Morgan Stanley to short-sellers, essentially protecting these two banks in particular from the forces of the market. Notably, they were the two top-five investment banks that survived 2008.Blankfein was initially opposed – "I'm for markets," he reportedly said – but as things worsened, he agreed with Morgan Stanley chief John Mack that they needed their government Daddy to save them."You're right. We have to do something about this," he said. He later <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/01/goldman-sachs-200101" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">called the decision</a> "tricky."Yet even with the SEC ban on short-selling, Goldman's stock price continued to plunge, from $207.78 in February 2008 to $47.41 in November. Cohn claims not to have been worried. "It wasn't scary at all," <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/01/goldman-sachs-200101" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">he said</a>.Vanity Fair found a colleague who scoffed at Cohn's assessment. "Complete and utter nonsense," the person said. For all their brains and humility, these geniuses needed the government to halt the free market on their behalf to survive.Goldman deserves its villainous reputation. The bank symbolizes all the worst aspects of the modern "financialized" economy. The crash era was the ultimate example.Banks like Goldman mostly didn't create anything of value during this time. Mostly what they did was engineer new ways to create credit that led to millions of people buying homes they couldn't afford, creating the mother of all financial bubbles.When it all went bust, as it necessarily had to, they scrambled by hook or crook to dump the damage on other people. Clients ate their losses and they ran weeping to the taxpayer for rescue – Goldman got $12.9 billion alone just from the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-aig-goldmansachs-sb-idUSTRE52H0B520090318" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none;">AIG bailout</a>, which of course was engineered by former Goldman chief Hank Paulson. In the middle of all of this, people like Blankfein and Cohn paid themselves record amounts of compensation. They are scum, and it's absolutely fitting that so many of them will end up serving the Trump administration.Donald Trump made a lot of political hay out of the iniquity of people like Cohn during his campaign. But his recent appointments are absolute proof that his "populist" message was a crock all along – not that we couldn't have guessed anyway.<div>==</div>

Levin, C Sen

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